Brisbane v Richmond qualifying final: Tigers to host semi-final against St Kilda at Metricon Stadium
Jason Akermanis knows what it’s like to come up against a seemingly unbeatable opponent — and beat them. And it’s not the only reason the current Lions remind Aker of his all-conquering Brisbane team.
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Brisbane’s defeat of Richmond has taken Jason Akermanis back two decades to a North Melbourne bogey which had to be crushed on the way to premiership glory.
Triple premiership winner Akermanis, who partially lost his voice after giving full-throated support to the Lions during their drought-breaking victory over Richmond on Friday, senses the magnitude of the win cannot be overstated.
Brisbane had not beaten Richmond for 11 years and he said the hoodoo-busting win could have similar impact to the Lions ending a six-match, four-year losing streak against North Melbourne in 2001 as a key step towards premiership glory in 2001-03.
“We had to get over that bogey team North Melbourne in the way they got over Richmond,’’ Akermanis said.
“Once you have got over that you feel you are an even chance against them every time and you can say, ‘Rright, we have our main plan and all we have to do is tinker with it’.
“The Lions have a strong understanding of where they are now. They know they have the weaponry. They have everything in place. They are now not so worried about the result. It’s more like, ‘Let’s get on with it and do it’.
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“In our era North had Wayne Carey and guys like Anthony Stevens. They had a mental aura about them and they liked beating us.
“They tagged us and they played tough and we just found them so hard to beat. But when we beat them it was as if the dam wall we had been chipping away at had fallen.
“There is another similarity in that Port Adelaide were our arch enemy as they are again in the current era.’’
Akermanis said coach Chris Fagan had done an exceptional job to take the Lions to two wins away from premiership glory.
“The way he has been building this team has been beautiful. When he started he built confidence in the players. Then he built confidence in the game plan. Now it is about relationships.
“Our game plan was pretty obvious. The opposition knew what was coming. We just had to do it better than they did. I sense it’s similar with the current team. They have the chance to sleep in their own beds in Brisbane and win the premiership. It will ever happen again. There will be no year like this again.
“They remind me of our team in the way they keep improving and have the right age group balance. You can be a bit young or too old but they seem just right to be in that window which gives them a chance. They are right there.’’
SEMI-FINAL VENUE PUTS TIGERS IN BOX SEAT
Metricon Stadium will host its first ever final after the AFL granted Richmond’s wish to play its semi-final against St Kilda on the Gold Coast.
The Tigers did not want to travel to Brisbane when they are living a few torpedoes from the Suns’ ground — where they are on a nine-game winning streak.
After his side’s loss to Brisbane Lions on Friday, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said:
“I thought we had an advantage at the Gabba too. We hadn’t lost here for a while. We’re happy to play anywhere to be honest. The reality is (Metricon) is 400m from where we stay, it’s a great size ground as (The Gabba) is.”
St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary said the club had been aware of Richmond’s request to play on the Gold Coast in week two of finals.
“We don’t mind, we have taken everything in our stride this year and I think we will drive up Thursday afternoon and stay up there like we did the previous game against Hawthorn,” he told Channel 9.
“It might be good for me to get up there and get a good night’s sleep away from the two little ones, so I’m pretty happy with that.
“I think we were aware of it. As soon as their game finished they were pretty keen to have the game at Metricon and we thought it was going to be the Friday night so we were all over it.
“We will just deal with it like we have dealt with everything else this year and hopefully perform really strongly.”
The Tigers have about 3600 Queensland-based members in their army of 100,000.
“That was (Richmond’s) preference. We combine that with the fact we think it is a good opportunity to spread games throughout Queensland,” AFL fixture boss Travis Auld told Channel 7.
“We have a number of finals at the Gabba (and) a final at Metricon works well.
“(The Tigers’ request) is certainly one of the factors. It has been a different year so we said upfront that we will give clubs more of a say where they play.
“Obviously the crowd variable is not the same as it is in a normal season. They are staying across the road from the stadium. It suits them.
“They have played a number of games there and that’s where they would like to play their first final.”
Richmond v St Kilda. Friday night Metricon Stadium 7.50pm (EDT). Then Geelong v the winner of WC v Pies (Gabba) 7.40pm (EDT). Then a Friday prelim for the Power the weeke afterwards and a Saturday night prelim for Brisbane at the Gabba.
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) October 3, 2020
LIONS EXPOSE CHINK IN RICHMOND’S ARMOUR
There is a chink in Richmond’s armour.
Just quietly, it has been a weakness for several years now, and on Friday night it cost the Tigers a qualifying final.
It is not the ill-discipline, with Shai Bolton a culprit in the two goals Brisbane kicked from 50m penalties.
The sloppy free kicks frustrated coach Damien Hardwick, however they can be easily addressed.
The other alarm bell is stoppage goals, and that will be a little bit trickier to plug.
This year Richmond ranks 12th for points differential from a stoppage.
Against the Lions they were outscored by 21 points from stoppages, their worst result for the season.
And against the Lions they were outscored by 12 points from centre clearances, their second-worst result for the season.
That was a surprising result given the Tigers won centre clearances 14-7, kicking one goal to three.
“There were two 50m goals and a couple of other goals we gave away through stoppage,” Hardwick said.
St Kilda or Western Bulldogs won’t be able to bank on Bolton brain fades, but Richmond’s opponent in a knockout semi-final will be able to go to work on how clubs are manufacturing stoppage majors against the Tigers.
ROBBO: TIGERS FAIL PRESSURE TEST AS LIONS STEP UP
Hardwick’s team won looseballs, inside-50s, contested ball and almost broke even in clearances. On the surface it was peculiar, but Hardwick drilled deeper.
“I think we got belted in contested ball inside 50m by 12 or 13,” he said.
The Lions’ wingers pushed back hard and ultimately their system beat Hardwick’s.
With Tom Lynch (hamstring) sitting in the stands, the Tigers opted for a smaller attack similar to 2017.
Given the dew in tropical Queensland, Richmond wanted to bring the ball to ground.
But Harris Andrews’ iron fists spoiled that plan.
“What they’re very good at, Brisbane, they’ve got great, long, spoils,” Hardwick said.
“They sort of took our crumbers out of the equation. We couldn’t get a clean ball inside 50m.”
Andrews recorded 13 spoils, which was his most for the season.
Ryan Lester minded Jack Riewoldt, which freed up Andrews to float from side to side picking off entries.
Lynch, 27, completed 80 per cent of Wednesday’s main training and is on track to complete every minute next week as the Tigers gear up for their semi-final.
Lynch thought he would return in the qualifying final after running at top speed last Saturday.
But Hardwick called his spearhead on Monday afternoon to tell him that he would not be selected.
Lynch had never previously torn a hamstring and so the decision was taken out of his hands.
Mabior Chol is likely to make way after recording just one kick against Brisbane and Andrews.
Hardwick was also frustrated that his defenders went for so many “blast kicks” out of the back half and said Brisbane was “cleaner across the arcs”.
He said the Tigers would look at their semi-final as an “opportunity” rather than an “obstacle” and “look at a loss as a gift”.
Sharp words from Dimma, who was also honest when he apologised for missing the pre-game Welcome to Country ceremony, simply because he forgot.
WHY LIONS WEREN’T SPOOKED BY HOODOO
Richmond’s 41-point win against Brisbane in Round 10 was fool’s gold and the Lions never had a finals monkey on their back.
In a nutshell, that’s what coach Chris Fagan’s psychology was entering Friday night’s qualifying final.
Fagan said last year’s straight-sets finals exit was speckled with positives because they ran into a “red-hot” Richmond and GWS, the eventual Grand Finalists.
The Lions “felt good about ourselves” after showing they could compete on the big stage.
As for the big loss to the Tigers in August? Fagan offered three valid reasons why they were confident in reversing the result.
In Round 10 they trotted out their youngest team of the season. Not only were the Lions without wise heads Grant Birchall, Stefan Martin, Daniel Rich, Dan McStay and Ryan Lester, but kids Jack Payne (debut), Connor Ballenden (two games) and Sam Skinner (three games) were all playing.
It was also Brisbane’s first ever four-day break. And then there was the goalkicking, with Brisbane’s 4.17 (19 per cent) its third-worst in any match this century.
“It wasn’t a bad loss because we kicked 17 points,” Fagan said.
The Lions will finish the season ranked in the bottom few clubs for accuracy, but Fagan was confident the problem was fading after kicking 45.38 in the past four games.
CHARLIE SORRY FOR MAGPIE BLOOPER
Charlie Cameron issued an apology at 12.30am on Saturday morning.
He didn’t need to. In a post-game TV interview, Cameron said Brisbane Lions would meet Geelong or West Coast in the preliminary final.
Of course, Collingwood is also on that side of the draw, and will play the Eagles on Saturday night for a semi-final date against the Cats.
“I wasn’t thinking at the time was just excited about the win,” Cameron tweeted.
It’s OK, Charlie. When you’ve just lit up the Gabba with three unstoppable goals you don’t have to apologise.
I wasn’t thinking at the time was just excited about the win
— Charles Cameron (@CharlesRanger23) October 2, 2020
Cameron’s right-foot snap while running like Usain Bolt, breaking a Marlion Pickett tackle and with Bachar Houli attempting a smother from behind and Noah Balta from in front was ridiculous, and there might not be a better celebrator in the game.
Cameron has his 2017 Grand Final jumper framed and proudly hanging in his house, despite Adelaide losing to Richmond by 48 points in what was his final game as a Crow.
He is now one win away from doubling that collection, again wearing the No. 23.
And, just quietly, Brisbane is now 10-0 at the Gabba this season.
FORMER SUN SHINING BRIGHT
Gold Coast midfielder Anthony Miles retired last week and former Richmond first-round draft pick Corey Ellis was delisted by the Suns this week.
On Friday night Brisbane workhorse Jaryd Lyons was the No. 1 ball-winner in the qualifying final, also topping clearances (seven) and score involvements (eight).
Rewind two years and the Suns delisted Lyons with a year to run on his contract after they secured Miles and Ellis in a trade with the Tigers.
“We added real depth to our midfield during the trade period and as a result Jarryd understands that his opportunities would be increasingly limited due to the additions of these players and our desire to play and develop the young midfield talent already on our list,” Suns list boss Craig Cameron said.
It was a shock decision at the time and one which remains just as perplexing.
And then last year the Suns let Jack Martin walk to Carlton in the pre-season draft.
Perhaps it is a little bit rich to be receiving AFL draft assistance at the same time as letting two very good footballers leave for no compensation.
HODGE’S LEFT-FIELD LACHIE NEALE THEORY
Luke Hodge went to work on former teammate Lachie Neale’s first-quarter doughnut and produced a surprising theory.
Hodge suspected that the odds-on Brownlow Medal favourite was so used to getting tagged, he actually didn’t know what to do with a bit of freedom.
It was obvious from the Gabba stands that was Richmond’s plan. Often Bolton would stand Neale and offer him far more social distancing than the thousands of clowns at Melbourne’s beaches on Friday.
Neale did not touch the ball in the first quarter, his worst start to a game since Round 1, 2014, when he also went without a disposal.
Three of his first four touches were turnovers as his first kick was marked by Toby Nankervis and his second by Nick Vlastuin.
Then, Neale got going. His 50m set-shot on the stroke of halftime was a major finals moment as he worked through Richmond’s leave-him-alone idea.
MATCH REPORT: NATION TAKES NOTICE OF LIONS ROAR
All season, no one has wanted to take notice of Brisbane.
The Lions might have the luxury of playing in their home state, but they also have the weight of history on their shoulders.
Not since 2009 had they beaten Richmond.
On Friday night, the Lions blunted the Tigers’ aerial strengths, disarmed their chaos brand and made a statement of the highest order.
In one of the most pulsating contests of the season, the Lions absorbed Richmond’s pressure and had the maturity to hold the lead all through the second half to win by 15 points.
Charlie Cameron played one of the most important games of his career with three goals for the night, edging Dylan Grimes no less.
Lachie Neale bounced back from being unsighted in the first quarter to have an impact and Jarryd Lyons was everywhere with a game-high 24 possessions.
The Lions’ defence weathered a storm of inside-50s thanks to the calming influence of defender Harris Andrews, who slotted straight back in without fuss despite an early return from a hamstring injury.
“It will give our group a lot of confidence to win our first final,” Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said post-match.
“They’ve been working hard towards it over a number of years now and a lot of the learnings we’ve gone through over the last three or four years came to fruition tonight.
“I thought we showed tremendous mental strength to hang in the game there.
“It’s been a solid journey for the Lions for a few years now, so to get out there and play like that against a great team like the Tigers, I’m very proud of the group.
“I guess we just learned (from last year).
“Last year Brisbane hadn’t been in the finals for 10 years and we front up to Richmond and the Giants who are red-hot in the finals last year.”
The club spoke during the week about making the most of every moment in the match and the players responded.
Fagan said Lachie Neale’s goal just minutes before halftime proved to be one of the biggest moments of the match.
“That’s one thing that we learned from finals last year was that finals are full of moments and you’ve just got to get as many right as you can,” he said.
“It was a big moment. No doubt about that.
“It was an outstanding kick. He was a long way out.
“He needed every bit of his strength to get it there.
“That’s what Lachie’s capable of – he’s improved his goal kicking this year.
“He sensed the moment.”
DIMMA BLASTS UNDISCIPLINED TIGERS
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick put the blame on his players after a spate of “undisciplined” acts cost them.
The Tigers were in control midway through the second quarter before blowing their match-controlling lead with a series of sloppy free kicks.
They gave away 12 free kicks and four 50m penalties in the first half, including a 100m penalty to Neale that put the Lions 13 points up just before the main break.
Hardwick said the Tigers wanted to play their home semi-final at Metricon Stadium, which is only a few drop punts from their Gold Coast hub.
They will meet either St Kilda or Western Bulldogs, although the AFL has to tick off the Tigers’ request to play at the smaller venue.
“I just thought we gave away undisciplined free kicks in the back end of that second quarter and in reality that was the difference in the game,” Hardwick said.
“I think there were two 50m goals and a couple of other goals we gave away through stoppage. Discipline – it’s disappointing. We controlled that.
“We’ve got to get better in that part of the game and every now and again it rears its ugly head and unfortunately it was on the big stage, so it’s disappointing.”
Hardwick said his side wasn’t clean enough and “blasted” too much into the waiting hands of the Lions’ well-organised defence.
“There were a lot of areas we performed poorly in that we can be better next week,” Hardwick said.
“We look at it as an opportunity. For us it’s about the growth we can take out of the game. A lot of the areas we did tonight we can improve. We will go to school on that. We look at a loss as a gift, as funny as that may seem.
“There’s a couple of things we can take out of the game that will certainly get us better for next week’s opponent.
“We had a plan, we just didn’t execute it how we would have liked. They’ve got a great system, that’s why they’re second on the ladder. In essence, their system beat our system tonight.”
Hardwick confirmed key forward Tom Lynch will return for the semi final.
On their desire to play at Metricon, Hardwick said: “It’s 400m from where we stay, it’s a great-sized ground as this is. We don’t really care who we play, we’re just looking forward to getting back out there and playing a hell of a lot better than we did tonight.”
LEAVING THE DOOR AJAR
Of course there were still nervous moments.
Richmond nearly pinched it.
The Tigers kicked the first goal of the final quarter, had the next centre break and looked to have the momentum.
They thought they had cut the margin back to nine points when Shai Bolton dribbled through one of the goals of the year, only for a late score review to confirm the ball shaved the post on the way through.
The Tigers kept coming. Jack Riewoldt cut the margin back to eight points but when Brisbane young gun Hugh McCluggage snapped the matchwinner 23 minutes into the final quarter, the Lions were finally home after missing a host of chances to ice the game earlier.
It will be Brisbane’s first preliminary final since 2004.
BATTLE OF THE BIG GUNS
In many ways the focus was on two star midfielders.
Dustin Martin’s impact on finals is next level and he started Friday night’s match like a man with something to prove. Not that he needs to, but all week, and perhaps all year, the talk has been about Lachie Neale and how he is likely to join Martin in rarefied Brownlow Medal air.
When Martin went into the quarter-time break with the equal-most possessions on the ground and the most clearances, Neale retreated to the other huddle without a touch.
If reputations are made in finals, Martin was confirming his and Neale was desperate to preserve his.
Yet Neale quickly found his groove in the second quarter and as he did, the Lions fired a few counterpunches of their own, surging into the lead and then out into open space.
Three late goals gave the Lions a 13-point halftime lead – the last major perhaps the most defining of the game when Richmond cracked and gave away a 100m penalty on the stroke of halftime.
Neale won a free kick for a Marlion Pickett throw. After Shai Bolton kicked the footy away late and Pickett knocked Dayne Zorko down off the ball, he was suddenly in goalscoring range.
He stepped up to the plate and delivered one of the most important goals he will ever kick.
Martin had been a Brisbane nemesis in the past. He tormented the Lions on this finals stage last year and had kicked 16 goals in his past five games against Brisbane.
THE PERFECT START
Daniel Rich and long bomb goals. They are as common at the Gabba as swing and movement on the opening morning of a Test in summer.
So when Rich deployed his lethal left foot to kick the game’s opening goal, he lit the fuse for a rocking start at the Gabba.
The venue might only have been at half-capacity but the atmosphere in perfect, dew-free conditions was electric.
It was the hottest of starts with a collection of dazzling highlights, aggression and pressure that fit the billing of a qualifying final.
SCOREBOARD
Brisbane 3.1 7.2 9.6 10.9 (69)
Richmond 4.1 5.1 6.3 8.6 (54)
BEST
Brisbane: Lyons, Andrews, Cameron, Neale, McCluggage, Rich
Richmond: Graham, Short, Prestia, Martin, Vlastuin
GOALS
Brisbane: Cameron 3, Bailey, McCluggage, McInerney, McStay, Neale, Rayner, Rich
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Rioli 2, Baker, Castagna, Cotchin, McIntosh
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Originally published as Brisbane v Richmond qualifying final: Tigers to host semi-final against St Kilda at Metricon Stadium