The Preview | Carlton vs Brisbane | AFL Preliminary Final |
Written By Luke Cornell
Unfathomable.
When you’re running about of words to describe the journey that has been, you know no matter the result, it was the verge of something very special.
And what a very special week this is indeed.
The Blues take on the Lions this week in a Preliminary Final.
Enough said.
It’s the preliminary final preview.
Masters of their Domain.
For all the glorious and unbelievable feats that the group under Michael Voss have reached in his two year tenure, there are about three left to achieve.
One of those feats…beating Brisbane.
Once thought to be intertwined by the strings of two tedious rebuilds dating back to 2015, the Lions seemed to have risen above the comparisons that were drawn between them and the underperforming Bluebaggers.
After a few underwhelming bouts between the two sides, including finishing a close 17th to the Blue’s 18th in 2018, the Lions redefined their brand of football having skyrocketed to 5th on the ladder by the time they were set to face the Blues for the first time in 2019.
What followed was a sequence of events that lives on in Blues folklore; involving a seemingly reinvigorated side following the departure of coach Brendon Bolton that same week, a Prince Charles and Weitering Masterclass…and of course, Patrick Cripps, 3 votes.
That was the last time the Blues would taste victory against the Lions.
And in all honesty, it should come at no surprise.
This Brisbane team is on the verge of something special…year after year.
2023 has been characterised by class and dominance for a group thought to have no more tricks left up their sleeves.
Brisbane thrive off the mistakes of their opposition, ranking 1st for points scored, points off turnover, efficiency i50, marks i50, and clearances.
Basically, they want the ball more than anyone.
And the scary thing is, they keep finding more ways to score.
Hugh McCluggage might as well be the patron saint of wingers for the work he’s done to impact this Lions squad throughout his tenure, solidifying his presence amongst the Lion’s best racking 26 disposals, 16 kicks, 9 clearances and a goal. The Blue’s selection this week hints at a full haul of McCluggage’s influence this week, with 4 potential wingman taking taking the reigns this weekend.
Cam Rayner keeps the resume of all 2017 draftees alive and well, booting 3 goals last week and cementing himself as one of the best to play at the high half forward this season.
And then of course, the walking clanger himself, Joe Daniher, going beyond what is expected of him up-forward with a 5 goal haul in his last game at the Gabba. Legacy game. Silencing the critics (myself).
It’s an avenue of attack that the Lions have mastered, placing pressure on the rebound 50 to then turn and burn only 60 metres from goal continues to be a headache for anyone in the opposing coaches box.
Unlike the Blue’s previous opponents, the Lions welcome the contest with open arms, thriving in the chaos of a ball just waiting to sail through the hands of Dunkley, Neale, Cameron…and so on, so forth.
It’s a team we’re unlikely to see for a long time, and now, the blues are on their doorstep…wiping their feet on the turf ripped straight out of the MCG.
The perfect game.
It’s baffling, isn’t it.
How do you comprehend the last two weeks?
How do you explain to your spoiled grandchildren what this group had accomplished in such little time?
And how do you summon the strength to endure the emotion, all over again?
The Blues have come down hard at the selection table this week, in what assistant coach Ash Hansen describes as “the perfect problem”, insisting that they had “full faith in every player from last week to get the job done.”
“There are going to be some really disappointed guys that have put in a mountain of work that deserve to play”.
And we can do no more than to trust the four walls of Ikon Park to make the right calls.
Pace beats aerial prowess in the back half, with Jordan Boyd replacing the great Brodie Kemp in an ploy to negate the impact of Brisbanes smalls.
Matt Owies makes way for Harry Mckay, with the mosquito sorely missing out having kicked 27 goals for the year.
For as much scrutiny or rejoice that spawns from selection, there is simply only one way to beat Brisbane.
The loss of Jack Payne presents a unique opportunity for our spacing up-forward. Plagued by the number of opposition intercept marks in both our finals campaigns (27,26 respectively), the Blues will look to reign in the typical intercept defender to cause some damage in the front half.
The Lions rank 18th in tackles per game, with a lack of spark and chase when the ball is in dispute in their defensive half. It’s a credit to the transition being generated from the Lions when they have the ball in hand, they maximise their opportunity at every point, almost depending on the turnover of the ball.
It’s an element from coach Chris Fagan’s playbook that the Blues must embrace, maximising our impact in the forward half.
With all that aside…the Blues are playing in a preliminary final.
It may not be the perfect matchup, or the perfect season, but it is the perfect game that we have all dreamt of being in.
Predictions
This time for the last 10 years, 20 for more, the build up of trade, draft and free agency speculation, it all felt empty; dividing and cursing our fanbase.
We were hurt, with 17 other teams having a claim on us for years.
No matter who you are, if you were a bagger at birth or hopped on 6 weeks ago, I think I’d speak on behalf of all the bluebaggers that there hasn’t been this sense of unity in a long, long time.
It makes one shed a tear, how far we’ve come, with 14 teams now looking at us from the sidelines…in awe.
We will never forget this…as well as Ed Curnow’s nudie run in Torquay.
We truly are Stronger Together.
….now we’ve got a game to win.
