Brisbane great Simon Black calls on Lions to show premiership qualities against Geelong

A Lions great says Brisbane needs to make a statement against Geelong following a dip in form to avoid a third successive defeat.

Lions great Simon Black says Brisbane’s clash with Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night is a “statement game” for the premiers following a dip in form.
Despite still being well placed in third on the AFL ladder, the Lions have only won two of their past six games and have suffered back-to-back losses.

To avoid a hat-trick of defeats before the following week’s bye, Brisbane will also need to taste success at a venue where it has proven hard to come by.

Brisbane hasn’t beaten the Cats in Geelong since May 2003 when a star-studded Lions outfit that included Brownlow medallist Black prevailed by 14 points.

Since then the Lions have suffered 13 successive losses to the Cats at GMHBA Stadium.

“It’s a pretty hostile place,” Black said.

“It’s cold, the Cats play the ground really well, it’s a long narrow ground and also the Cats have had a very strong team for a very long time.

“It is tough to win down there.”

Lions midfielder Hugh McCluggage (left) is tackled by Geelong pair Jeremy Cameron (centre) and Cameron Guthrie during Brisbane’s 10-point loss to the Cats at GMHBA Stadium in April 2022. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

However, Black said the Lions were good enough to beat Geelong and urged them to make the most of their opportunity to not only end their drought at the venue but also dispel any doubts that might have surfaced about Brisbane’s title defence.

“Not having a great record down there, being the reigning premiers and not having the best patch of form … it is fair say this is a statement game for Brisbane at a hostile venue against a really quality side,” he said.

Black said the Lions’ weren’t “wildly out of form” but had a few problems to solve, including inaccurate goalkicking.

In their past two matches, Lions have kicked a combined total of 21 goals, while their behinds have tallied 33.

“Good kicking is good footy, and that hasn’t been the case for the past couple of weeks,” Black said.

The three-time premiership winner also said Brisbane could not afford to be sucked into another “open game” as they were at the Gabba on Saturday by a GWS Giants side that was extremely quick and lethal in transitioning from defence to attack.

“Brisbane only made 28 tackles for the game, which was incredibly low. It was an open game, and it didn’t suit the Lions, who are a strong stoppage side,” he said.

“(Premiership-winning Brisbane coach) Leigh Matthews used to talk a lot about not wanting to make it an athletic carnival and on the weekend, it became an open athletics carnival.

“Through sheer athleticism and running ability, the Giants got the Lions, and if Geelong get their running game going, they’ll be very dangerous as well.”

Lions defender Jack Payne will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Black said defender Jack Payne being ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured patellar tendon would be a “big loss” for the Lions.

“Jack had taken his game to another level this year,” he said.

With Payne gone, Black believed Darcy Gardiner should be reinstated to Brisbane’s defensive unit.

“I’m a Darcy Gardiner fan. I’d go with him.” he said.

Originally published as Brisbane great Simon Black calls on Lions to show premiership qualities against Geelong