A building Brisbane outfit are set to give Sydney their toughest match yet in 2024, as the ladder leaders travel up to Queensland for a Sunday afternoon blockbuster.
The Lions (10-1-6, 120%) have won their last six games on the trot, and will temporarily enter the top two with a win today.
Meanwhile, the Swans (14-3, 145.3%) look to have at least somewhat moved past their back-to-back losses with a 69-point win over North last week.
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Chris Fagan has selected Henry Smith for his first game of AFL football today, while defender Brandon Starcevich also joins him as an inclusion after coming back from injury.
Conor McKenna has been managed for the match, while young forward Logan Smith has been omitted.
On the other side of the coin, the Swans have made a trio of changes with Isaac Heeney, Harry Cunningham and Corey Warner all coming into the side.
Justin McInerney and James Rowbottom will miss the clash through injury, while Callum Mills has been managed after one game back at the top level.
The game gets underway at 1:10pm from the Gabba.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl from 1pm.
BRISBANE v SYDNEY – LIVE UPDATES
There are no late changes for either side, with Bruce Reville (Lions) and Corey Warner (Swans) the respective subs.
Dayne Zorko has sent an early scare through the Lions camp, after Swan Joel Amartey fell on his ankle inside the first 90 seconds and leaving the veteran in severe pain.
Thankfully though for Brisbane fans, he stayed out on the ground eventually unscathed.
Joe Daniher kicked the first two goals for the match, with a 55 metre bomb off one step before converting truly from set shot on a similar angle just inside the attacking arc.
Chad Warner kicked the Swans’ first with another long-range goal for the first quarter in sunny Brisbane conditions.
Cam Rayner kicked his first blazing through traffic for Brisbane’s third, and gave the Lions an early 11-point lead.
And with five and a half minutes to go in the first quarter, Daniher kicked his third to get well off the chain.
Zac Bailey finished off the quarter with the Lions’ fifth major after the siren to give Brisbane a 22-point lead at the first break.
The scorecard read: Brisbane 5.1 (31) leading Sydney 1.3 (9).
Zorko led the match for disposals at quarter time with 10 touches, while Errol Gulden and Robbie Fox had seven each for the Swans.
“It’s got finals-like quality written all over it; there’s so much to like about the Lions,” commentator Anthony Hudson said on Fox Footy’s coverage.
In true Sydney fashion, the Swans kicked three goals in five minutes to start the second term – cutting the deficit to just four points after Brisbane’s hot start.
Hugh McCluggage’s goal from a forward 50 tackle settled their momentum, before Logan McDonald and Luke Parker kicked back-t0-back goals; with the latter an absolute ripper.
In bad news for Sydney, stand-in skipper Dane Rampe was subbed out early in the second term, injecting Corey Warner into the game earlier than anticipated.
An Errol Gulden goal on the run saw out the end of the first half, with the Swans pinching a seven-point lead heading into the main break.
The scorecard read: Brisbane 6.3 (39) trailing Sydney 7.4 (46).
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Source Agencies
