AFL Pre-Semi Final v Adelaide Crows at the Gabba / AFLW Pre-Round 5: v West Coast Eagles at Mineral Resources Park

AFL Preview.

Last time/win v the Crows at the Gabba, Highlights. (R7 2026. Had the better start but missed a few late, was close in the 2nd until the Lions kicked 4 in a row. All Lions after that, kicked 8 in a row and up by 40+ for the rest of the game).

Last time/win v the Crows at the Gabba in a Final, Highlights. (SF 2003. Close early but kicked 10 of the last 13 goals. Lions have played 2 finals v the Crows, won both and both at the Gabba. Other was the 2002 QF).

Injury List/In the Mix, Lions version: Answerth (ankle) Test, Zakostelsky (knee) season, Torrent (ankle) season, Payne (knee) season, Smith (foot) season. Answerth rolled his ankle last game and needs to get through Thursday training.

Answerth missed Tuesday's training session and was seen in a moonboot that he later removed. He will be tested later in the week, but if he fails to overcome the ankle injury, Lincoln McCarthy played as a shutdown defender early in the season, while Bruce Reville or Shadeau Brain could also be considered. Ty Gallop was the unlucky omission last week and could be recalled to help against Adelaide's tall forward line on Saturday night. - Michael Whiting

Finals Hub. Where to Watch: 7 for Brisbane (Pineapple Hotel, Star Casino, Felons Barrel Hall, Norman Hotel, Story Bridge Hotel, Shafston Hotel and Australian National Hotel) and 4 in Melbourne (Royal Derby Hotel, Great Northern Hotel, Terminus and Rose).

Tickets (Not many left, largely singles and have opened up the fully restricted (scoreboard) view tickets for $20. Probably looking at 36k. Free Bus and Train (excluding Airtrain) with a ticket. Buses replace trains on the Ferny Grove line between Ferny Grove and Bowen Hills. Also, showers have been forecast but currently most likely in the morning/afternoon via BOM.

Dunkley: ‘If we’re not hungry, we don’t deserve to be there’.

Allen says there's "urgency" at Brisbane, but no panic following Saturday's qualifying final hammering at the hands of Sydney.

Bailey re-signed until 2034, Cal Twomey thinks it's around 9-10mil total via Gettable (3:37 in but the first 3mins are about Morris).

Logan Morris is open to starting contract talks on a short-term deal at Brisbane.

AFLW

Last time/win v the Eagles at MRP, Highlights. (R/W4 (B? .2?)* 2024. Pretty much all Lions throughout the game with the only issue being the accuracy. Was 8.11 59 - 0.3 3 early in the 4th before the Eagles kicked the last 2 goals and their only 2 goals of the game. Lions have won all 3 games v the Eagles).

*AFLW Fixture stuff...Lions played twice in R/W4 2024, At home on Wednesday v the Dogs and the WA Eagles game on Sunday. Every team did that season because they wanted teams to play 11 games in 10 Rounds/Weeks.

Injury List, Lions version: Dooley (collarbone) TBC, Lacy (thigh) season, Kennedy (ACL) season. Anderson (hamstring), Graham (concussion), R. Svarc (concussion), Hartill (foot) and Lappin (leg) all available this week if they pass a Wednesday training session. Lappin will play a scrimmage, rest may be in the team. Starcevich has said Hodder is out with a personal issue with no timeframe.

Game Day Guide. Tickets (Only GA available). Limited parking, Victoria Park Station is the closest train station and around a 5min walk away.

AFLW list sizes back in spotlight as clubs feel injury squeeze. (From the current 30 to 32. Lions ran out of players last week with 7 unavailable/injured (Anderson, Graham, R. Svarc, Dooley, Hartill, Lappin and Hodder) but didn't use a top up as Crozier was a late replacement for Hartill, Hartill filled the 3rd emergency role even though she was injured).