Brisbane has not played finals football in a decade but the Lions’ next fortnight will ensure they’re battle-hardened by September.
Chris Fagan’s team host Geelong on Saturday in a match between the AFL’s top two at a packed Gabba before completing their home-and-away campaign against Richmond at the MCG.
Fagan says the two matches are exactly what his team needs to prepare for the club’s first finals campaign since 2009.
“It’s great to be playing two other teams – Geelong this week and Richmond next week – who are high up on the ladder and it gives us a good opportunity to see where we sit as far as the competition is concerned,” Fagan said.
“Those two teams have obviously been highly credentialled, regular finalists over the past few years so we couldn’t ask for a better preparation.
“Golden opportunities for us to practice in finals-like environment.”
After just five wins apiece in Fagan’s first two years with the Lions, Brisbane welcome the Cats knowing a 16th victory of a remarkable season would all but sew up a top two spot.
To do so the Lions will have to overcome a rival which has held the wood over them with wins in the past eight encounters between the two sides by an average margin of 50 points.
Fagan’s team has been busting hoodoos all season and he’s viewing Saturday’s clash as nothing different.
“We haven’t beaten them since 2013 … not good enough,” Fagan said.
“Tomorrow we want to try and do something about that. Really they’ve dominated us for the better part of the last 10 years. I think we’ve won two out of the last 20 and one of those was a kick after the siren.
“It’s a great test for us.”
Brisbane forward Lincoln McCarthy, an ex-Cat who struggled with injury during his time at Kardinia, will make his 50th AFL appearance against his former club after being an ever-present for the Lions this season.
The Lions will also be eager to prove their premiership credentials by halting Geelong forward Tom Hawkins.
The big Cat has kicked 50 goals in 15 matches against the Lions including a bag of seven last year on key defender Harris Andrews.
Fagan said cutting off Hawkins’ supply was the key to stopping him once again dominating the Lions’ defence.
“Tom’s got a really good record against us. Probably reflects Geelong’s domination over us for a long period of time,” Fagan said.
“Harris put in an honest effort last year but Geelong just got delivery that was too good.
“The job tomorrow will be to make sure that defensively we do really, really well, put pressure on that ball coming into the forward line so that it’s dirty ball rather than lace out ball coming to him.”
