The finals race has never been more fierce as the Lions and Giants battle it out at the Gabba in search of a top four spot.
Brisbane (13-6-1, 125.1%) have won nine games on the trot to storm into premiership favouritism as they continue their quest for a flag under coach Chris Fagan.
Meanwhile, GWS (13-7, 111.2%) have won five games in a row to surge into the top four, but must maintain the rage with a tricky few weeks remaining.
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The Giants will be without ruck Kieren Briggs, but do regain star midfielder Josh Kelly. Joe Fonti has omitted and Lachlan Keefe is set to shoulder the ruck duties.
Brisbane have brought Darragh Joyce in for Bruce Reville.
The match gets underway at 1:45pm AEST at the Gabba.
Watch it live on Fox Footy, streaming on Kayo and via Hubbl from 1:30pm AEST.
BRISBANE v GWS – LIVE UPDATES
There were no late changes at the Gabba, with Jaxon Prior (Lions) and Conor Stone (Giants) the respective substitutes.
“Looks like Toby Bedford’s going to Lachie Neale (in a tagging role),” Brisbane legend Jonathan Brown said on Fox Footy during the opening minutes.
Joe Daniher and Cameron Rayner missed the Lions’ opening two shots on goal with varying difficulty, while the Giants’ Aaron Cadman registered his side’s first score – also a behind.
Daniher was the one to break the goal deadlock though, turning his opponent inside out before (just) soccering the ball through on the goal line.
And a minute later, ruck Oscar McInerney kicked his seventh goal of 2024 to give the Lions an early 13-point lead.
Similar to McInerney moments earlier, young gun Logan Morris took a contested mark inside 50 before converting truly – as the Lions again converted their around-the-ground dominance with a goal.
Two consecutive behinds for the home side prevented the Giants from being completely blown out in the first half of the opening term.
“The Lions have been liquorice allsorts in front of goal,” Fox Footy commentator Anthony Hudson said on call.
A Charlie Cameron special from the boundary with six minutes before quarter time put GWS right on the ropes, with three-time premiership Lion Alastair Lynch noting boundary side that the visitors were getting “obliterated” through the middle of the ground.
“They’ve got to get to quarter time without any further damage,” Hudson added.
At the first break, the Lions led by five goals with the scorecard reading: Brisbane 4.7 (31) leading GWS’ 0.1 (1).
Young star Will Ashcroft led the match for disposals with 11 touches, lighting up the Gabba early doors.
GWS’ two big forward in Jesse Hogan and captain Toby Greene finally ended the wait for Giants fans, kicking the opening two goals of the second quarter to breathe life into their pursuit for four points.
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Source Agencies
