It was a singularly massive sporting weekend for Brisbane, with the Brisbane Lions Aussie Rules team beating Hawthorn on Friday night and Queensland winning the State of Origin decider against New South Wales on Sunday evening.

But for most people, not least the conservatively estimated 15,000 travelling Lions supporters, the main event was at the Gabba on Saturday evening.

A great deal has been made in the press here about the Lions' supporters, and Graham Henry and his players have acknowledged them as a vital part of their game plan. In a comment piece in the Brisbane Courier Mail on Monday morning, local Paul Malone states the game was "as much fun as you can have when your national team is absolutely thumped".

Photos of the Lions fans are everywhere, one caption reading: "Three tiers of Lions support, with flags representing any one of four countries, form a red sea to give the Gabba stands probably their most strenuous workout of any football code."

The performance of the Wallabies has understandably received a lot of attention. Stephen Larkham, tipped by many as the difference between the sides, played poorly and he's picked up a fair bit of flak. Thought at first to be out of contention for the second Test through injury, Jim Tucker, chief rugby writer of Courier Mail writes: "He has to play if the Australians are to have the tools to extricate themselves from the hole the dug at the Gabba on Saturday night."

He continues: "There is no next chance in this series after Saturday night's second Test in Melbourne when the Wallabies must stage the greatest rally of Rod Macqueen's 41-Test reign or perish."

The Australian mood is one of introspection. Granted they have recognised the achievement of the Lions, but the manner of defeat has meant a great deal of soul-searching for the home side. Russell Fairfax, a past Wallaby, went on record on Channel Nine laying the blame at the feet of John Muggleton the defensive coach. This is the guy that put together the 1999 World Cup winning defence which conceded one try all tournament. They tend to have short memories around here when things go wrong.

Peter Jenkins in his match report for The Australian gives due praise to the Lions' planning and performance, but continues the theme that the Wallabies lost the match rather than the tourists won it: "Hats off to Lions coach Graham Henry and on for the dunce's cap for the Wallabies." And he doesn't stop there.

"The Australians did their best to emulate a hapless rabble. They struggled to pass, kick or tackle as though their memory banks for the basic skills had somehow been erased." Strong stuff.

David Campese, never prone to understatement, in his column in the same paper brands the Wallaby performance:"just disgraceful".

"The way the two sides played, you would have thought that they had swapped jerseys before the game," before continuing: "The more I think about it, the more I think this was a stunning result."

Peter Fitzsimmons goes even further in the Sydney Morning Herald, demanding the recall of Wallaby great Tim Horan, on holiday in Brisbane at the moment.

"Putting Tim Horan into the line-up would give the Wallabies added firepower where they most need it. To call for him would be a drastic action, but these are drastic times." Drastic indeed, but that drastic? Pat Howard, recently returned from a hugely successful spell with Leicester Tigers, is however being considered for a Test role.

Spiros Zavos is another outspoken Aussie scribe, and in the Sydney Morning Herald does give credit where it is due.

"Over the years, rugby writers in Australia have been critical of the British style of rugby. Let it be acknowledged that this (opening) 50 minutes exemplified the best of the modern game."

But he still can't resist a dig at the tourists: "Then, after being so wonderful, the Lions went back to the worst elements of the British game for the final 30 minutes." I'll think you'll find the win was long in the bag by then Spiros, and the Barmy Army were well past caring.

Last word goes to Greg Growden, chief rugby correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, who sums up the abject disappointment felt by all in the Australian Rugby Union community after such a sound thrashing:

"It wasn't a game, it was a shame. Many hours on, and many Australian rugby fans are still wondering exactly what happened at the Gabba on Saturday night; how such a cocky outfit, so proud of their World Champion status, was made to look so brain dead by an opposition riddled with problems."