Geelong will lick their wounds and rebound for next year, willing to pay Chris Scott's price of admission.
The Cats' unmatched AFL consistency since Scott took over as coach in 2011, featuring two premierships, comes with a cost.
Their 10-point loss to Brisbane on Saturday night was their sixth preliminary final exit during his era.
"I suspect - even though it doesn't feel like it at the moment - we'll be more proud in a couple of weeks than we are right now," Scott said.
"But in a way, it's the price of admission - you have to risk this feeling to have a chance to do something great.
"We didn't quite get it done. It's hard."
The Cats failed to capitalise after going 25 points up early in the third term.
They lost the lead, then regained it with less than three minutes left, before the Lions kicked the last two goals of the game.
Scott said his post-game message to the Cats was brief.
"Don't overreact - this is me at my worst and so when you have that self-awareness, say less," he said.
"So the obvious is the disappointment and managing that. I did say to the players and the broader footy department, one of the things I've been proud about ... I can't remember a lack of unity or the disappointment getting the better of people and behaving badly as a result.
"We're all disappointed and we have to acknowledge that.
"We had our challenges this season - we had our challenges this week. We found a way to give ourselves a really good chance."
An obvious challenge came on match eve, when assistant coach Steven King collapsed at training and was hospitalised.
While he is now resting at home, King could not be at the MCG for the match. Scott refused to use it as an excuse.
The Cats also had illness in the club ahead of Saturday's game - again, Scott said it was nothing more than what all teams have to manage.
Max Holmes had a bout of gastro during the week and then struggled with hamstring tightness in the second half, just when Brisbane were surging.
"It hurt a bit - again, glass half-full, I'm looking forward to the next 10 years of Max Holmes playing in hoops," Scott said.
"It stings a bit at the moment."
But overall, Scott said "we do have a bit to look forward to", with predictions of Geelong's demise over the last decade regularly made to look silly.
"We're optimistic, but I've never been more aware of how good the rest of the competition is," Scott said.
"The days of six or seven teams rebuilding, at least through this stage, seems to be over.
"We'll just do what we always do - have a real crack at trying to get better, acknowledging if we don't, we'll just get overtaken by teams that have taken their opportunity to stack their list with talent."
Two big changes are the retirements of Geelong stars Tom Hawkins and Zach Tuohy, who did not play against the Lions.
"Just when you don't think you could feel any worse, you start thinking about that stuff," Scott said.
