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.
ed
Guest
Who is Shannon motlop?
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
That is all from me tonight in the live blog. Thanks for joining in on the blog. Until next time, it is bye for now from me.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
It wasn't the best AFL game of the season, or the weekend, but Geelong got the job done against Brisbane. It was close until half time and then Geelong blew them away in the final two quarters. They kicked 10 of the last 15 goals in the match. BEST PLAYERS: GEELONG - Selwood, Stokes, Duncan, Enright, Hawkins BRISBANE - Martin, Hanley, O'Brien, Taylor, Aish They will now play Hawthorn in week 1 of the finals.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
FULL TIME STATS: PLAYER STATS: GEELONG: Duncan 35, Enright 30, Stokes 30, Selwood 29, Bartel 28 BRISBANE: Hanley 31, O'Brien 30, Lester 24, Taylor 22, Aish 20 TEAM STATS: DISPOSALS: GEELONG 383 BRISBANE 329 CONTESTED POSSESSIONS: GEELONG 132 BRISBANE 118 UNCONTESTED POSSESSIONS: GEELONG 258 BRISBANE 213 MARKS: GEELONG 94 BRISBANE 72 TACKLES: GEELONG 64 BRISBANE 44 INSIDE 50′s: GEELONG 58 BRISBANE 35 HIT OUTS: BRISBANE 52 GEELONG 23 CLEARANCES: GEELONG 39 BRISBANE 29
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Week 1 FINALS: Friday Night - Geelong V Hawthorn - 7:50pm Saturday Afternoon - Sydney V Fremantle - 2:45pm Saturday Night - North v Essendon - 7:15pm Sunday Afternoon - Port v Richmond - 3:20pm ALL TIMES ARE AEST
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Full stats and quick thoughts will be updated in a second. Just waiting on the official release of the finals for week 1. I'll post them as soon as I know.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
FULL TIME: Geelong do what they need to do and defeat the Lions by 62 points tonight. GEELONG 21 17 143 Hawkins 7, Caddy 3, Murdoch 2, Selwood 2, Walker 1, Brown 1, Enright 1, Bartel 1, Stokes 1, Thurlow 1, Varcoe 1 BRISBANE 12 9 81 Green 3, Beams 2, Martin 1, Aish 1, Bewick 1, Lester 1, McStay 1, Merrett 1, Taylor 1
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 0:04 Murdoch adds another goal for the Cats with a booming goal from outside 50. Geelong win by 62 points. GEELONG 21 17 143 BRISBANE 12 9 81
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 0:30 Well that was a weird goal. Brisbane kick it out on the full and Geelong kick the ball from the boundary line towards Harry Taylor. He hand balls to another Geelong player, who tries to hand ball it back, in the goal square It is intercepted by Brisbane in the goal line and it goes to the ground. Green thinks quickly and kicks the ball off the ground for a late goal. GEELONG 20 17 137 BRISBANE 12 9 81
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 2:00 Lester kicks a behind for the Lions. GEELONG 20 17 137 BRISBANE 11 9 75
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 6:00 Hawkins has another shot on goal but he misses. Still needs 6 goals for the Coleman Medal. Geelong lead by 62.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 6:50 Lester kicks the first goal of the quarter for the Lions. The lead is now 61 points. GEELONG 20 15 135 BRISBANE 11 8 74
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 8:00 So with Geelong winning tonight, here are the matches for Week 1 of the finals. GEELONG V HAWTHORN SYDNEY V FREMANTLE PORT ADELAIDE V RICHMOND NORTH MELBOURNE V ESSENDON
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 9:00 Tom Hawkins kicks his 7th goal for the match. With the game completely over, surely Geelong try to get him to kick another 6 goals for the Coleman. GEELONG 20 14 134 BRISBANE 10 8 68
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 11:00 Geelong and Brisbane add another behind to their tallies. Geelong still lead by 60 points as both teams are going through the motions in the last few minutes. GEELONG 19 14 128 BRISBANE 10 8 68
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 14:00 30 seconds later they kick another goal. Mitch Brown gets the ball from the centre clearance and runs inside the 50. He kicks for goal and gets his first for the night. Geelong lead by 60. GEELONG 19 13 127 BRISBANE 10 7 67
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 14:27 Tom Hawkins has 6 goals for the match as he kicks another goal. The lead is out to 50 points.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 16:50 Josh Caddy kicks his third goal for the game and Geelong increase the lead to 48 points. He marks near the pocked on the right hand side and is forced to play on by the umpire. It doesn't matter as he check sides the kick for a goal. GEELONG 17 13 115 BRISBANE 10 7 67
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Q4 - 20:00 Tom Lonergan has also been subbed out of the game for the Cats. He is replaced by Billie Smedts.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
THREE QUARTER TIME STATS: PLAYER STATS: GEELONG: Stokes 27, Duncan 25, Enright 24, Selwood 24, Bartel 20 BRISBANE: Hanley 23, O’Brien 21, Taylor 20, Lester 16, Martin 16 TEAM STATS: DISPOSALS: GEELONG 298 BRISBANE 235 CONTESTED POSSESSIONS: GEELONG 109 BRISBANE 89 UNCONTESTED POSSESSIONS: GEELONG 195 BRISBANE 150 MARKS: GEELONG 59 BRISBANE 49 TACKLES: GEELONG 56 BRISBANE 40 INSIDE 50′s: GEELONG 44 BRISBANE 27 HIT OUTS: BRISBANE 43 GEELONG 20 CLEARANCES: GEELONG 35 BRISBANE 21 A quarter dominated by Geelong. They shouldn't lose from here and will start to rest some of their players.