Brisbane Lions ruckman Darcy Fort to make his 50th AFL appearance
Brisbane’s quiet achiever Darcy Fort faces a tough test in his 50th AFL appearance.
Premiership-winning ruckman Darcy Fort says he’s “happy to help” in the absence of fellow Brisbane Lions big man Oscar McInerney.
Fort, 31, reaches his 50-game milestone at the MCG on Saturday night against Collingwood in AFL career that started with Geelong in 2019.
Since joining the Lions in 2022, Fort has often had to play second fiddle to McInerney, Brisbane’s long-time first-choice ruckman
However, when McInerney suffered a shoulder injury in last season’s preliminary final win over Geelong, Fort was brought into the Lions side for the grand final victory over Sydney.
And with McInerney’s ongoing fitness issues, Fort has played in 13 of Brisbane’s 19 games this season, including the Lions’ past 11 games.
However, Fort set that McInerney continued to set “the standard” for Brisbane’ ruck division, that also includes 22-year-old Henry Smith.
Our team is in for Saturday âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/PVGNIC6ZPxpic.twitter.com/4Q7JKDZjo9
— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) July 31, 2025
“Oscar’s been an absolute warrior for this team,” Fort said.
“Any opportunity we can get to give him a bit of a rest, and get himself right, we’re happy to do it.
“Oscar’s the most humble guy in the group. He always plays his role, a team-first guy.
“He sets the standard there, and we’re doing our best to live up to him.
“I’m just happy that I can come in to try to help the boys out when I can.”
Fort faces the tough challenge of nullifying star Collingwood ruckman Darcy Cameron on Saturday night.
“It’s going to take a team effort. He’s a great player and having a great season,” Fort said,
The Lions are intent on redeeming themselves after copping a 66-point thrashing in last weekend’s QClash from the Gold Coast Suns.
“Gold Coast played a great game, and we weren’t at the standard we wanted to be,” Fort said. “We’ve got to bounce back quickly in a big game this week. It’s a great opportunity.”
Originally published as Brisbane Lions ruckman Darcy Fort to make his 50th AFL appearance
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