Brisbane Lions premiership hero Clark Keating lauds current ruck duo Stefan Martin and Oscar McInerney

Clark Keating knows what it takes to deliver an AFL flag to Brisbane. The Lions’ premiership hero believes the partnership of Stefan Martin and Oscar McInerney can achieve that feat.

Clark Keating battles with Collingwood’s Josh Fraser during the 2003 AFL grand final.

Triple flag hero Clark Keating says the Lions have a two-punch ruck combination that can take them all the way to this year’s premiership.

Keating, known as Mr September for his exceptional record leading the Lions’ ruck division in a hat-trick of grand final triumphs between 2001-03, said Stefan Martin and Oscar McInerney had major roles to pay within coach Chris Fagan’s game plan.

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He was at the Gabba for Brisbane’s past two matches and went away believing 179-game veteran Martin was poised to have a huge impact in his first-ever finals campaign.

The 32-year-old was superb in his battle with Geelong’s Mark Blicavs, in particular the final quarter, when he appeared to assume the responsibility of dragging the Lions over the line.

Martin is known to shun a beer for a glass of red wine and according to Keating, he shares a key trait with the high quality drops he enjoys.

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Clark Keating battles with Collingwood’s Josh Fraser during the 2003 AFL grand final.

“He is getting better with age,’’ he said.

“He has a great ability to use that quick turn of speed to burst out of a stoppage, he is such an explosive, powerful man.

“The way he played on the weekend was superb. He was aggressive and in that last quarter it was though he said just leave it to me and I will get it out of here.’’

Keating is also a huge fan of McInerney, saying the “Big O” was far from a support act.

“He has got that great contested mark,’’ he said.

“He is a big man and he has long arms and when he gets to leap at the footy he is hard to stop.

“And he is very good at the centre bounces too, it is not as if there is a dip in momentum when there is a changeover.

“That is a great asset for the team.’’

Stefan Martin and Oscar McInerney will share ruck duties for Brisbane Lions during finals/.

Queenslander Keating, who spent time as a ruck coach at Brisbane following his retirement and was an assistant coach to Craig Starcevich for the Lions’ AFLW side last season, sees major similarities between the way Fagan’s team plays and those of the Leigh Matthews era.

“They want the ball forward. It is back to what we used to do in my time and try to put their defence under pressure and if they make mistakes, they are making them close to goal,’’ he said.

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The Keatings have holidays booked on the Fraser Coast for the grand final week but Clark reckons the Lions are capable of going all the way and is now working out the logistics of a mad dash to Melbourne to watch what he believes could be Brisbane’s fourth premiership.

“I think they have got the game plan to do it and they have the players to do it,’’ he said.

“To beat the top side in Geelong, it was a tough game and they managed to find a way to win — that is what premiership sides do.

“I think they can definitely win it.’’