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Teams
Brisbane
Full-back: Dayne Zorko, Darcy Gardiner, Ryan Lester
Half-back: Darcy Wilmot, Harris Andrews, Brandon Starcevich
Centre: Sam Marshall, Hugh McCluggage, Jarrod Berry
Half-forward: Charlie Cameron, Logan Morris, Zac Bailey
Full-forward: Oscar McInerney, Cam Rayner, Callum Ah Chee
Ruck: Darcy Fort, Josh Dunkley, Kai Lohmann
Bench: Jaspa Fletcher, Will Ashcroft, Levi Ashcroft, Ty Gallop
Gold Coast
Full-back: Wil Powell, Bodhi Uwland, Sam Collins
Half-back: John Noble, Mac Andrew, Daniel Rioli
Centre: Lachie Weller, Matt Rowell. Brayden Fiorini
Half-forward: Touk Miller, Ben Ainsworth, Bailey Humphrey
Full-forward: Ben Long, Ben King, Jy Farrar
Ruck: Jarrod Witts, Alex Davies, Noah Anderson
Bench: Sam Flanders, Ethan Read, Connor Budarick, Joel Jeffrey
As for the Lions, they’re in some strife. They got absolutely belted by Geelong last week: even after being given three gift goals by the umpires, they only mustered 74 points, and a stack of those came in the fourth quarter once the Cats had put the cue in the rack. After an arm wrestle until halfway through the second quarter, Brisbane got blitzed by three-quarter time. And in the process they lost their star Lachie Neale with a calf injury. It’ll be tough going.
That said, they’re the team that has been here before and will be less consumed by the emotion of it, where you could imagine Gold Coast players being so affected by the adrenaline of last week that they might struggle to refocus for week two. Perhaps. Their coach Damien Hardwick will have worked to squash the risk of that, given that he at least is somebody who has seen everything September has to offer, as a player and as Richmond coach.
Preamble
Are you ready to QUEENSLAND?! Yes, we always said that this state was the true home of Australian rules football, and tonight is the night that proves it. On reflection, it would actually be better if these clubs were on opposite sides of the draw so they could end up in the first all-Queensland grand final, but we’ll settle for a dual-knockout final to see who goes into the prelim final against Collingwood at the MCG.
Brisbane and Gold Coast matches have not, let’s be honest, had much riding on them for most of their history given that at least one and often both clubs have been down the wrong end of the ladder. But now the Lions are reigning premiers, and the Suns, after so many years of being belted around the league, are not only playing finals for the first time, but won their first ever knockout despite taking the lead with nine seconds to go.
It was fun. Tonight could be even more so. Let’s do it.
