- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Brisbane Lions will be looking to end the season on a high with a win against the Geelong Cats at Skilled Stadium tonight. Join The Roar for a live blog and commentary of the game from 7:40pm (AEST).
With Geelong in conservation mode ahead of next week’s qualifying final, it provides the Lions with a wonderful chance to win tonight.
The 2014 season – despite no finals football – has been a good one for the Lions. Many people put the Lions at the bottom of the ladder after they lost plenty of players at the end of season 2013.
The Lions though have defied those expectations and have won 7 matches this season. While it didn’t replicate their 2013 efforts – when they won 10 matches – they look to have uncovered some good junior players to replace the talent they lost last year.
They could make it 8 wins with a win today against the Cats which could move them to as high as 13th on the ladder.
The deciding factor on this match will be how much effort Geelong put into the match tonight.
As long as Fremantle win this afternoon, Geelong will have nothing to play for in this match, as they will play Hawthorn in the first week of the finals.
If Fremantle lose to Port then Geelong can choose who they want to play.
If they win they will play Hawthorn, if they lose they will face Sydney.
That result could decide what happens in tonight’s match.
The Cats have already made 5 changes to their team for the clash, and they could make more, before the match begins. Hamish McIntosh, Allan Christensen and Shannon Motlop have been rested for the match with Shane Kersten (hamstring) and Brad Hartman (abductor) out with injury.
Replacing them is Josh Walker, Mitch Brown, Billie Smedts, George Horlin-Smith and Lincoln McCarthy.
Brisbane has also made significant changes to the clash with Geelong. Ash McGrath is one of them after retiring last weekend in the Lions final home match for the season.
The era of their premiership dominance is officially over with McGrath the last player from those premiership years to retire. He is joined by Matt Maguire, Ryan Harwood and Michael Close.
In for the Lions are Zak O’Brien, Matt Leuenberger, Jackson Paine and Jordon Bourke.
Bourke will make his debut for the Lions and is the son of former Geelong captain Damian Bourke who played 124 games for the Cats and the Brisbane Bears.
The inclusions also include Leuenberger who returns from a severe injury in the final round of the season.
In Round 4 he suffered a meniscus tear against Port Adelaide and he suffered further complications to his achilles as the season progressed.
Many thought he would be finished for the season, so to come back in the final round is a pleasing sign for the Lions heading into 2015.
The key to the match will be the midfield.
Geelong has struggled for clearances this year and is currently last in the competition in this area.
Brisbane is 14th in this area and is also last in contested possessions.
Whoever wins this battle in the centre of the ground will win the match.
Geelong should be too strong for the Lions today but it will be interesting to see how much they are focussed on next week, instead of this week.
Geelong by 24 points.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.