Sadly for Brisbane Lions fans, the only ‘Hometown Glory’ the Gabba has seen in recent years was on Saturday night, when Adele performed in front of 60,000 teary fans.
The last 12 years have been soul destroying for the Lions – only Melbourne could rival them in calamity over this period.
Besides an elimination final victory over Carlton in 2009, Brisbane has been rooted to the foot of the AFL ladder. On the field results have been poor, off the field the club has leaked millions.
As a fan it’s hard not to be despondent, watching your team and your club stumble from mediocrity to irrelevancy. Even though the tide seems to be turning off the field – with shrewd appointments in Greg Swan, Chris Fagan and David Noble in key positions and greater assistance from the AFL – on the field the development of the team still requires years of patience.
We’re a young side, all fans recognise that, but that doesn’t make the ten-goal losses any easier to stomach.
When you also consider Brisbane’s retention issues, it’s hard to get overly excited about the years ahead. Just when you think we’ve found a player, he packs up and leaves. Subsequently, even though retention has improved, we still jump at shadows at the thought of losing a young star. As a fan, you’d be forgiven for feeling withdrawn or hollow.
Enter Brisbane’s women’s team.
At a time when the club needed a beacon of light, something to get excited about, something to restore the passion, the Lions AFLW side has answered the prayer.
Leading up to the AFLW season, I wondered how the league would be received, and hoped my club would do well, but I wasn’t invested at all. Fast-forward five weeks and they’ve renewed a fire within me.
While their success is undoubtedly part of that rehabilitated passion, it’s more so reflected by the thirst of the players. It’s cliché as hell, but the Lions women have genuine pride in the jumper and a legitimate care for their teammates that just makes you proud. The men, harshly, are probably guilty of losing that pride over the past few seasons – and you can’t exactly begrudge them for that, it has been a hellish journey.
But to say the Lions women are solely built on pride would be criminally underselling them. They display the qualities fans adore in a football team; the one percenters are non-negotiable and they give each game their all.
Individually, there are highlights aplenty too: Kate McCarthy and Katelyn Ashmore are the speed demons who take the game on from the outside, Taylor Harris and Sabrina Frederick-Traub are the high-flying contested marking machines, and the defensive pillars that are Sam Virgo, Leah Kaslar, Kate Lutkins and Shannon Campbell are dour and willing.
At 5-0 with two rounds to play, the Lions women have the inside running at hosting the inaugural AFLW grand final.
‘Hometown Glory’ might not be so far away for Brisbane, but whatever the result, the Lions women are ‘Turning Tables’ for the entire football club.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I have question marks over a boutique stadium out at the training facility, given it's slated to be located at Brisbane Airport - can't see too many people wanting to drive out there given the already ordinary traffic situation you usually find, and public transport isn't an option given it's about $18/person to ride the airtrain and there isn't a bus route within cooee
Keagan Ryan
Roar Guru
This has been part of Brisbane's proposal for a new admin & training facility - a boutique stadium would be perfect in this instance. I'd love to see how many they'd get at the Gabba, such a shame the men play on the same day
Paul D
Roar Guru
Yeah, I rather think they had this pencilled in as an MCG or Etihad curtain raiser
Simoc
Guest
I'm enjoying the AFLW except that in Brisbane as in the AFL season we get to see less games on free to air TV. For womens team sport only netball comes close for the intensity and skill level on display.
Mickyo
Guest
It will probably be st the Gabba, but surely there must be a football venue that holds 8-10k around Brisbane. A lock out there is better than 15k at the Gabba imo
XI
Roar Guru
Of course the Lions women's team is doing better than the men's! Lionesses do all the work! But seriously it's great that Brisbane is finally getting some AFL success
Onside
Guest
Hi Keagan, Onside is Henrys Dad on Sunshine Coast.
Keagan Ryan
Roar Guru
Should've clarified - the AFL dropped the ball on the scheduling front. They either; A) Wrote off or didn't consider the possibility of Brisbane finishing first B) Didn't have faith its product would be as well-received as it has been and thought it could get away with the AFLW grand final being played as a curtain raiser.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Yes, heaven forbid the club spends some of its own money to encourage and assist fans with watching both games The commute you’ve outlined involves several kilometres walking to get to train connections or back to cars – while I personally won’t have a problem with it, a lot of fans are older or heavier and perhaps aren’t up for that. Or they have small children. Etc. I can see why the club would perhaps want to assist people with seeing both. If you’re such a public transport hero feel free to make your own arrangements.
Brian
Guest
You could make that journey in about 2 hours using public transport or an hour by car. The womens game finishes by 3:30 the Q Clash won't start till 6:30. your an interesting lot up there.
TomC
Roar Guru
That seems like such a great solution. Let's hope common sense prevails. Brisbane based fans shouldn't have to go to the Gold Coast to watch the women's game.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Hang on, how have they dropped the ball? At least provide an explanation. They’re not moving the game to Metricon at all either. Your comment makes no sense.
Keagan Ryan
Roar Guru
Yeah the AFL really dropped the ball on this one. Would hate to see the game moved to Metricon
Keagan Ryan
Roar Guru
Many Brisbane fans have had this exact thought over the last five weeks!
Paul D
Roar Guru
It is the former - the Lions already considering what's going to happen round 1 as the women's grand final is supposed to be played the same day as the QClash to start round 1 in the men's comp. There's talk the club will lay on buses to get fans from the 1pm women's final at the Gabba down to Metricon for 6:30 or whenever the game starts Saturday evening
Brian
Guest
Does the top AFLW get to host the GF or is automatically played in Melbourne. I hope its the former.
Onside
Guest
If only Keagan, the mens side played like a bunch of sheilas.