Brisbane Lions warn Gold Coast Suns their best is yet to come ahead of QClash
The Brisbane Lions are intent on extending their QClash winning streak to seven matches on Sunday at Metricon Stadium.
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Brisbane star Hugh McCluggage has promised the Lions will be anything but complacent in Sunday’s QClash despite their ongoing dominance of the Gold Coast Suns.
The Lions have won six straight matches against the Suns – five of them by 45 points or more.
And while it’s an imposing advantage Brisbane has enjoyed over the Suns in recent seasons, the Lions’ determination to improve their 2022 form – despite having lost just one of their five matches this season – will ensure they don’t take a relaxed attitude into this weekend’s derby at Metricon Stadium.
“We still don’t think we’ve played our best footy yet,” McCluggage said in a warning to the Suns.
“Our first quarters haven’t been great, and we want to make that right this week. That should hold us in good stead for the match.
“We know they’ll come out firing, and we want to put our best foot forward early.”
McCluggage has huge respect for a Suns side that has won two from five this season.
“They’re playing a little differently to what they have in the past,” he said.
“They’re probably trying to take a little more territory this year, getting it going forward and playing a really exciting brand.
“They use the corridor a lot; we’ll have to try and protect that.”
McCluggage said Brisbane’s narrow win last week over a Collingwood side which played a similar style to the Suns was a good preparation for the QClash.
“They (Collingwood) try to come through the corridor as well, and they probably got us a few times through there,” McCluggage said.
“We got lucky a few times where we were able to win the ball at the source, but it was good prep and we don’t think we did quite as well as we could, so hopefully we can fix it up this weekend.”
McCluggage said the Lions also needed to improve on their discipline, particularly with the umpiring crackdown on players showing dissent through an “arms out” action.
“The guys that do get emotional when the free kicks happen have had a good look at what they do and hopefully we don’t to it again this week, because (AFL general manager of football) Brad Scott came out and said they’re going to not stand for any of it,” he said.
“We support that decision as well. We want to get (more) umpires in the local levels. Disrespect towards the umpires isn’t on.”
Originally published as Brisbane Lions warn Gold Coast Suns their best is yet to come ahead of QClash
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