Brisbane ‘brotherhood’ behind finals surge

Brisbane Lions defender Brandon Starcevich admits his teammates could easy person turned connected each different aft the club’s mediocre and arguable commencement to the play which is present conscionable 1 triumph distant from a expansive last return.

Hit with a big injuries arsenic good arsenic rumours of subordinate discontent stemming from an end-of-season travel to Las Vegas, the Lions were seemingly successful turmoil, losing 5 of their archetypal 7 games of their 2024 campaign.

Making the finals, fto unsocial repeating past season’s effort of reaching the expansive final, seemed retired reach.

“At that clip of the twelvemonth everyone was penning america off,” Starcevich said.

“It could person gone 1 of 2 ways. We could person turned against each other, oregon it could person brought america unneurotic and agreed us, and the 2nd 1 is the mentality that we went with.

“It made america a stronger brotherhood and a much connected team. We’re a truly choky radical with large character.”

It’s “character” that has helped the Lions scope a 4th preliminary last successful 5th years, with Geelong awaiting them astatine the MCG connected Saturday night.

“We privation different changeable astatine winning a expansive final,” Starcevich said.

“That’s wherever we privation to beryllium adjacent week truthful it’s important that we get everything close (against the Cats).

Starcevich was bracing himself for a “very dangerous” Geelong guardant line.

“Jeremy Cameron’s astir apt the large threat. He’s been successful immoderate bully signifier lately, but their tiny forwards are truly talented arsenic well, and enactment truly hard.

“Shaun Mannagh’s travel from the clouds. He played good successful that qualifying last against Port Adelaide.

“They stock the load, and they’re truly skilful, truthful we’ll person our hands full.”

Starcevich has been pleased with the betterment successful his ain signifier astatine the concern extremity of the season.

“I started a spot dilatory successful enactment with however the squad was performing aboriginal successful the season,” helium said.

“My commencement to the twelvemonth wasn’t excessively great, and I had a fewer weeks disconnected with injuries, truthful I was successful and retired of the squad for a small bit.
“Now I’ve been capable to get immoderate consistency towards the extremity of the year, and I consciousness that my form’s been connected the rise”

Starcevich was adamant the Lions were focused connected Saturday’s task and recovered from the affectional precocious of past weekend’s thrilling five-point triumph implicit the GWS Giants, who astatine 1 signifier successful the 3rd 4th led by 44 points.

“After a triumph similar past week it tin beryllium casual to get caught up successful it, but we cognize the job’s not finished yet,” helium said.

“We enjoyed the triumph and celebrated it, but past we turned our attraction to what’s waiting for us. This group’s beauteous mature now.”

The Lions were accompanied connected their formation to Melbourne connected Friday greeting by a big of Brisbane supporters with Virgin Australia, including “megafans” Alex, Kellie, Cara and Matti Carter, who were treated to flights, lucifer tickets, accommodation and lounge entree by the airline.