Brisbane snapped a 15-game losing streak to Richmond in last year’s qualifying final with a 15-point win.
It was an enthralling game. The Tigers, as they do, threw everything at Brisbane in a frantic second quarter. The Lions, bent, did not break. They went in to half-time with a 13-point lead and held firm through the second half for the sweetest of wins.
They had been bossed around by the Tigers for a decade and there was a fair bit of humiliation along the way, such as a 2018 clash at the MCG in which they kicked just 2.5.
The jubilation at beating the Tigers didn’t last long and the preliminary final defeat to Geelong a fortnight later ended a season that because of the relocation of the entire code to Queensland, had been set up perfectly for them.
Come 10.30 Friday night at the Gabba, we will have a fair idea as to whether Richmond’s hex over Brisbane is done for good. The Lions have won five straight games and have turned their season around in fine style after a tardy start due as much as anything to some COVID-related changed to their fixture.
But this is the start of a big few weeks for the Lions with Melbourne and GWS to follow. And while the extensive Richmond injury list is well known, and with none of those big names expected back this week, Brisbane’s list of absentees is also starting to mount with Darcy Gardiner and Ryan Lester joining Lachie Neale, Jarrod Berry and Cam Rayner on the sidelines.
The Lions had a terrific run with injuries last season and coupled with barely having to leave their home state, it was probably a factor in them having such a great season. But their depth is being tested ever so slightly and the Richmond game comes at an ideal time for Chris Fagan to critically evaluate his list.
For their part, the Tigers fought back admirably against the Giants last week despite all their outs and the venue they apparently “hate”. Can they do it again? That probably depends on Dustin Martin. He got them over the line last week and these are the sorts of matches in which he thrives, but they’ll also need youngsters Riley Collier-Dawkins, Patrick Naish and Hugo Ralphsmith to chip in as they did last week.
The Tigers are a system based team and the system worked – albeit just – last week. It will be fascinating to see how it goes this time against an in-form fellow flag fancy.
It is also a big week for:
1. Footy in Brisbane: The Queensland capital is still coming driven after the three-day NRL party known as the ‘Magic Round’. It was a celebration of all things rugby league. The postponement earlier this year of the Lions annual Easter Thursday clash with Collingwood has meant that there haven’t been any real blockbuster AFL games at the Gabba so far this year. But the Tigers coming to town changes all that and probably for the first time since last year’s finals, the AFL takes centre stage in Brisbane once more. Let’s hope for a near-capacity crowd.
2. Jaeger O’Meara and the Hawthorn midfield: The Hawks were smashed in the centre of the ground by previously winless North Melbourne and vice-captain O’Meara didn’t hold back on the club website, labelling the efforts by he and his comrades as “embarrassing”. With Tom Mitchell, Liam Shiels and James Worpel also part of the mix, it’s not exactly an inexperienced group. But it clearly isn’t working and it doesn’t get any easier at the MCG on Saturday against Carlton duo Sam Walsh and Patrick Cripps, who found some form last week. Hawthorn’s midfield coach is Brendon Bolton, the former coach of the Blues. It will be interesting to see what he has in store, but Hawk fans want to see a response this week.
3. Melbourne: We’re just about 100 per cent convinced that this Melbourne team is the real deal and a fair dinkum contender for the premiership. But the Melbourne of the last half a century, perhaps with an eye to the massive clash with the Western Bulldogs to follow, would find a way to stumble against Adelaide on Saturday. We’re looking for the new Melbourne to crush the Crows to then set the table for the Dogs game to come.
4. Max King: He’s clunking them, but not kicking them. The emerging Saints star, now recontracted, needs to bring his kicking boots with him to Marvel Stadium on Saturday night against the Bulldogs after a disastrous 1.5 outing last week.
5. Sydney: Winning form is good form, but the Swans are probably the one team in the top eight who we’re not totally convinced will be there come September. But a win on the road over Fremantle, which sits a game outside the eight, will further separate them from the chasing pack. This might be the game that books the Swans a finals berth, as silly as that sounds before the end of May.