Rivals Must Secure Home Preliminary Finals to Stop Brisbane Lions
In this analytical piece, former dual All-Australian David King argues that AFL clubs must prioritize finishing in the top two ladder positions to avoid playing the Brisbane Lions at their home ground, the Gabba, during preliminary finals. The Lions have established a formidable fortress at the Gabba, winning their last five high-stakes finals there, making them nearly unbeatable on their turf. King emphasizes that contenders like the Sydney Swans and Fremantle Dockers must leverage their own strong home records at the SCG and Optus Stadium respectively to force Brisbane to travel. The article highlights the growing disparity in the league, where top teams dominate bottom-tier opponents, making the race for the top two spots highly competitive, likely requiring at least 18 wins. Historical data shows that Victorian teams like Hawthorn, Geelong, and the Western Bulldogs struggle against Brisbane even at neutral venues like the MCG, further underscoring the necessity of securing home-field advantage throughout the finals series to have any realistic chance of defeating the current premiers.
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Rivals Must Secure Home Preliminary Finals to Stop Brisbane Lions
In this analytical piece, former dual All-Australian David King argues that AFL clubs must prioritize finishing in the top two ladder positions to avoid playing the Brisbane Lions at their home ground, the Gabba, during preliminary finals. The Lions have established a formidable fortress at the Gabba, winning their last five high-stakes finals there, making them nearly unbeatable on their turf. King emphasizes that contenders like the Sydney Swans and Fremantle Dockers must leverage their own strong home records at the SCG and Optus Stadium respectively to force Brisbane to travel. The article highlights the growing disparity in the league, where top teams dominate bottom-tier opponents, making the race for the top two spots highly competitive, likely requiring at least 18 wins. Historical data shows that Victorian teams like Hawthorn, Geelong, and the Western Bulldogs struggle against Brisbane even at neutral venues like the MCG, further underscoring the necessity of securing home-field advantage throughout the finals series to have any realistic chance of defeating the current premiers.
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