Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan lauds Sydney Swans for a ‘nearly perfect season’

The Lions will get a true indication of their AFL premiership credentials when they host the Swans on Sunday at the Gabba.

Brandon Starcevich is set to return for the Brisbane Lions this weekend. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Nothing less than Brisbane’s best football will be enough to beat the almost “perfect” Sydney Swans on Sunday at the Gabba.

That’s the belief of Lions coach Chris Fagan, who said his resurgent team faced the “ultimate test against the super Swans.

“(In) 17 games, they’ve won 14, they’ve lost three by all less than a goal, and in two of those games they had more shots than the opposition, so they’re nearly having the perfect season,” Fagan said of the AFL leaders.

“They’re an incredibly good team that are well coached, and we know it’s going to be a tremendous challenge on Sunday. It’s one that we’re looking forward to.

“It’s the ultimate test of finding out where you’re at, and we’ll embrace that and go out and play as well as we possibly can, knowing that we’re going to have to do that to be a chance to achieve victory.”

The Lions are chasing a seventh straight win, with Fagan confident his team’s “best footy” is good enough to beat “anyone in the competition”.

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan says the Lions will need their ‘best footy’ to beat Sydney. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“We’ve proven that, but the trick is to try to produce you’re best footy, which is hard to do consistently, but against a team like the Swans, you have to produce it,” he said.

“Anything less than that, and we put the result of the game in a large deal of jeopardy.”

Fagan said the game was likely to be decided in the midfield.

“They have a great midfield, just like we do. It’s going to be an interesting battle, that one. It will probably decide the game,” he said.

“We say that just about every week, but they (the Swans midfielders) are going very, very well.

“They have a good diversity of types in there that do different things, (but) it doesn’t take away from the fact that the most important thing you’ve got to do, no matter who you’re playing against, is get your hands on the ball first.

“The only thing they can do then, if they haven’t got the ball, is apply pressure, so we’ll be trying to play our way, and get as much of the footy as we can, and get the ball into our forward line and really challenge them.”

The Lions will welcome back defender Brandon Starcevich from a bout of concussion that forced him to miss Brisbane’s win over West Coast in Perth last Sunday.

“He’s right to go, so it’s good to have him back and available again. There are a few good little forwards playing for the Swans that he’s got the capacity to play on, and we look forward to having him back,” Fagan said.

However, the form of emerging talent Shadeau Brain, who was called into Brisbane’s team to replace Starcevich last weekend, has given Fagan a pleasant selection headache.

“I thought he was really brave in the air. His intercept marking was outstanding for a player of his size,” the Lions coach said of Brain.

“He showed good composure when he got the ball in his hands.

“I’m glad we don’t play until Sunday. We’ve got a little bit more time to think our way through this. There’s a decision or two to be made in that regard.”

Originally published as Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan lauds Sydney Swans for a ‘nearly perfect season’