Brisbane set to host NRL, AFL finals on Super Saturday

Brisbane could be set for a Super Saturday football extravaganza where more than 80,000 fans could join the Broncos’ and Lions’ premiership charge.

Players and fans could be rushing from the Gabba in different directions on football’s Super Saturday following a quirk in the match scheduling.

Saturday week in Brisbane is set to feature NRL and AFL preliminary finals for the Broncos and Lions, which may not clash due to a special priority of the AFL finals system.

The AFL game – which will feature the Lions against the winner of Melbourne and Carlton – will start early enough for the Melbourne team to be able to get the last Virgin flight out of Brisbane back to Melbourne.

The reason for this move is that the AFL want the team to get an extra night back in Melbourne in case they make the AFL grand final the following Saturday.

That flight is scheduled at 6.55pm, which means the AFL may lock in a mid-afternoon clash which could be finished before 6pm.

This would allow fans who wanted to attend both games to leave the Gabba and get across town to watch the Broncos play the Newcastle Knights or the Auckland Warriors at Suncorp. That match is scheduled to start at 7.50pm.

The Brisbane Lions’ Charlie Cameron with the Broncos’ Reece Walsh after the Lions defeated Port Adelaide at the Gabba

Both matches are expected to be sellouts as they feature the final Brisbane appearances of both teams.

Broncos captain Adam Reynolds is confident Brisbane would be a match for any opposition as bookmakers declare the premiership a race in two between Brisbane and the Panthers.

“We have the strike power right across the park,’’ Reynolds said.

“We’ve got the forwards who can lay a great platform, we have got some craft players in the spine. it’s a good blend of youth and mature players in there as well.’’

The Lions have not won a premiership since completing their third in three seasons in 2003 while the Broncos last title was in 2006.

The Lions’ Dayne Zorko (second from left) with Broncos players (from left) Adam Reynolds, Pat Carrigan, Reece Walsh and Tristan Sailor after the Lions defeated Port Adelaide at the Gabba

EARLIER

Brisbane could be set for a Super Saturday football extravaganza where more than 80,000 fans could join the Broncos’ and Lions’ premiership charge.

The NRL confirmed on Sunday night the Broncos would play the winner of this weekend’s semi-final between the Warriors and the Knights on Saturday week at Suncorp Stadium.

No decision has been made on when the Brisbane Lions will play their preliminary final on the same weekend against the winner of Carlton and Melbourne.

If the Lions are given the Saturday twilight game, it could be finished by the time the Broncos kick off at 7.50pm.

This would be much to the delight of many Brisbane sports fans who support both teams and, even if they are not able to attend both games, could at least watch both on television.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters, a five-time premiership player for the Broncos, said a premiership would be a wonderful result for the club.

“It would be fantastic, that’s what every coach sits down at the start of the year and has those dreams,’’ Walters said.

Broncos

“You have to have big dreams and we dream big here.

“That opportunity is still in front of us, so we’ll keep going and that’s the ultimate goal for sure.’’

Any thoughts of a cross-code, cross-town rivalry were quashed at the weekend, with the stars of the Broncos’ runaway Friday night win over the Storm posing with Dayne Zorko following the Lions’ romp on Saturday.

Reynolds, Reece Walsh, Patrick Carrigan and Tristan Sailor celebrated with the Lions’ Dayne Zorko and Charlie Cameron after they beat Port Adelaide by nearly 50.