'Given up': Derm rips into Joe Daniher for repeat poor efforts in Lions' loss
"You want your key forward to be a beast."
The Brisbane Lions have vowed to atone for their “worst loss of the year” by derailing the Gold Coast’s AFL finals tilt in Saturday’s QClash.
Livewire Dayne Zorko has admitted Brisbane’s 53-point round three defeat to the Suns still stings and they’re determined to repay them in kind at the Gabba.
Although Zorko is a Gold Coast product, he said the Lions would like nothing less than sinking the ninth-placed side’s finals hopes.
“If we’re not playing finals then we definitely don’t want the Gold Coast playing finals,” he said on Thursday. “It would be great for Queensland football but we want to be the dominant side in Queensland.”
The Suns completely dominated their last meeting at Metricon Stadium to end a five-game losing streak against their big brother.
Lions coach Justin Leppitsch put the demoralising defeat under the microscope again this week to ensure his youthful side lifts their intensity and hunger on Saturday.
“Leppa said it was our worst loss of the year,” Zorko said. “We’ve looked at the areas that Gold Coast really got on top of us.
“This weekend we’re going to go out and focus on the areas they beat us last time, which was contested ball and that’s probably been one of our weaker points all year.”
Suns defender Steven May set the tone back then when he pulled off a huge shirtfront on Zorko in the first quarter.
Zorko had no complaints and expected the derby to push the limits of physicality.
“The QClash is a different game to any other game I believe,” he said. “Game plans go out the window pretty early on and it’s whoever is hardest at the ball and really gets into the contest first.”
Meantime, the Lions have added another player to their long injury list with Mitch Golby expected to miss the rest of the season with a foot injury.
Golby, who has suffered two stress fractures to his left foot, was in a moon boot at training on Thursday and will see a specialist on Friday.
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"You want your key forward to be a beast."
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