Former Lion Luke Hodge is worried about Brisbane after their 2-4 start to the season.
The Lions most recently went down to Geelong and that defeat followed earlier losses to Carlton, Collingwood and Fremantle.
While they’ve beaten Melbourne and North Melbourne, the Lions now face premiership favourites GWS in Canberra and are staring down the barrel of going 2-5.
Even though a fifth loss from seven games would be disastrous, Hodge thinks that the side can rebound and play finals even if they go down.
“Yes, they can still play finals if they lose,” Hodge said on SENQ Breakfast.
“The teams that they’ve played, I’ve got in around the top four.
“They’ve played Carlton, Geelong, Fremantle - who are going to beat a lot of teams over in Perth, Melbourne - who I have as a top-four team, Collingwood and then GWS who have lost one game - they lost last week but they were really good prior to that.
“They’re still a chance of playing finals.”
While Hodge thinks that the Lions can make the top eight, he can’t see them hosting a home final and finishing in the top six if they lose on Anzac Day.
Even though he wouldn't count the Lions out in any game throughout the rest of the season, he thinks they’ll be too far back at 2-5 if they want to play in September at the Gabba.
“But if they lose this one, there’s no home finals, they’re scraping the barrel,” Hodge said.
“For a team that’s won more home and away games over the last five years than any other side - you can’t count them out.
“That’s one thing they have, the belief that they do have a good side and a system that can win games.
“They just need to flick a switch pretty quick because it’s starting to look a bit doubtful.
“You can see the pain on the supporters getting so close this year. The disappointment they had on Saturday night is only going to grow (if they keep losing).”
Brisbane will be desperate to go 3-4 instead when they meet GWS at Manuka Oval on Anzac Day.
