AFL Round 8 Gold Coast v Brisbane: Damien Hardwick’s bold declaration ahead of first QClash

The stage is set for the biggest and most important QClash of all time – and Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick isn’t shying away from his side’s aspirations.

Damien Hardwick has jumped to the defence of the under-fire Chris Fagan even as the Gold Coast coach plots to end the Lions’ QClash stranglehold and install his Suns as the “Kings of the North” this weekend.

Brisbane has found itself under the microscope this week off the back of a heavy defeat to GWS last time out and Fagan’s coaching methods subsequently called into question by some in the media.

The Lions are winless at the Gabba in three attempts this year and have already dropped more games at home than any of the past five seasons under Fagan.

Despite the alarming drop off, Hardwick – who will coach in his first QClash at the Gabba on Sunday – said he had “still prepared our guys for (Brisbane’s) best”.

“Fages is the ultimate competitor,” Hardwick said.

“With the industry we’re in you know that (pressure) is going to come at some stage. It’ll happen to us at various stages as well.

“Having known Chris for a long period of time he’s very resolute in what he knows makes a good footy club and that’s what they are, Brisbane.

“He’ll be bunkering down doing a power of work to get this side humming as best they can and we just hope it’s not this weekend against us.”

Gold Coast’s Jed Walter and Brisbane Lion Jaspa Fletcher at Kangaroo Point ahead of the Q Clash. Picture: Liam Kidston

After going unbeaten at the Gabba last season the Lions have dropped games to Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong already this year.

Conversely, the Suns are unbeaten at home but winless on the road.

Short of a draw, one of those droughts will end on Sunday.

“We need to start winning away,” Hardwick declared.

“If we want to be a football club on the rise, these are the games we need to start winning and that’s firmly our aim this week.”

Last July, the Suns snapped a nine-game QClash losing streak with a shock 41-point thumping of the Lions at Carrara. But it’s been more than six years since they tasted success at the Gabba and the Lions dominate the head-to-head 18-7.

“We want to be Kings of the North,” Hardwick declared.

“You look at the history of the game, Brisbane has probably had the wood on us but we’re looking to turn the tide on that.

“Obviously (the Gabba) has been a fortress for them. They haven’t quite been as strong there this year but … we know what that side is capable of.”

When Hardwick coached Richmond, he saw Brisbane at its absolute best.

Between 2019 and 2022, the Tigers and Lions squared off three times in finals, with Fagan’s side coming out on top in two of those.

It’s why the now-Suns coach refuses to take them lightly, irrespective of current form.

Damien Hardwick at Gold Coast training this week. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“They’ve been playing the same way under Fages for the past five years and what they’ve done has kept them in good stead for a long period of time,” Hardwick said.

“(They have) made top four and been a side that we’re trying to become – a side that consistently makes finals.

“A lot of their KPIs are still very strong. There’s a couple of areas in which they need to get better, which they know – and we know. We just have to make sure those areas stay down for this week.”

In years past by now a war of words would have been exchanged between the clubs in an attempt to build tension ahead of the QClash, but this week both sides have stayed relatively quiet.

With Brisbane under the microscope and Gold Coast playing some of the best footy in the club’s history, the stage is set for the biggest and most important QClash of all time.

For the first time ever, the Suns could inflict a serious season-defining blow to the Lions and progress their own finals case at the same time.

If Brisbane wins, it ends the home game hoodoo and Fagan can chart a course to being ahead of the win-loss ledger by the mid-season bye.

It’s game on at the Gabba.