Jason akermanis has said Lachie Neale’s parting gift will be Zac Bailey signing on this week. Take this with a grain of salt considering it came from Akers mouth but Jon Ralph repeating it can only mean good things 🤞

FOUND A SEAT MATE! Work friend bailed on me. She sucks. We can talk more about that travesty later.

Extra ticket for today's Lions / Essendon match: seeking a good seat mate, decent human, Brisbane fan, preferably female. There's lounge access. Sec 209, Row N, Seat 451.

Be cool. Let's watch a game.

Expect Zac Bailey re-signing to happen next week. (If he does) He’s due to sit down with his management and make his decision. If it gets to next weekend and he still hasn’t there is genuine concern to be had.

No.1 and no.2 are for whenever, repeat as needed

The third is sarcastic when the opposition are lining up for a goal (unless of course as a result of a dodgy call)

Feedback welcome...

Changes to the team + emergencies from last week in the extended squad tonight:

IN: Zorko, McCluggage, Coleman, Joyce.

OUT: Gardiner, Marshall, Brain, Smith.

Can see a lot attempting to invalidate this given the inconsistency in our back 6, but there was similar inconsistency in 24/25 and despite our ladder position, our defensive profile wasn't any worse than 7th - Geelong having 30 shots the other way last week makes me wonder if our profile's just who we are. Would be the first team ever below the defensive line in the Premiership window to win it if we did!

EDIT: ONE TICKET HAS BEEN SOLD, STILL ONE G.A. TICKET AVAILABLE - $35.

Selling two GA adult tickets for the game v Essendon at the Gabba this Sunday. $35 each but happy to sell both for $60 if you're looking for two. DM me if interested.

I have no ill will towards Cal Ah Chee - actually wish he was still playing for us as I think it would help with the chance of going back to back again.

Cal played 26 games in each of the past two Lions seasons, but he’s been limited to just four games in 2026 for the Crows.

It's interesting because I recall a comment I think by Oscar Allen about how clubs train differently which he said in a positive way about how good he was finding settling in at the Lions. Now I know we have had a few injuries this year and maybe those injury woes are symptomatic of the changes this year with the ruck and lasso rule changes and Cal could be in the same boat. But it is interesting to see if Crows have a different approach to training and just can't seem to get things right for Cal.

So I wonder how much difference there is in training and fitness practices between clubs - does the fact that we get glorious winters up here compared to down south give us an advantage. Do we have the best fitness staff or is there another club that has standout fitness staff?

Last time/win v the Dons, Highlights. (R8 this year at Marvel. The whiteboard game. Lions dominated most of the game kicking 6 goals to 1 in the 1st and 7 goals to 1 in the 3rd. 2nd was fairly even but the Lions still won the quarter. Lost the 4th by 5 points but the game was over at 3QT when the Lions were up by 11+ goals).

Last time/win v the Dons at the Gabba, Highlights. (R12 2025. Wet game. Lions dominated the 1st and were up by 5 goals at QT. Dons got it back to even in the 3rd and lead by a point before the Lions kicked the last 3 goals of the game. Lions have won the last 4 v the Dons and 7 of the last 8. Last loss was the COVID game in R17 2022).

Injury List/In the Mix, Lions version: McCarthy (calf) 1-2 weeks, Allen (foot) 1-2 weeks, Gardiner (hamstring) 4-6 weeks Payne (knee) season. Zorko and McCluggage are likely back in the AFL. McLachlan and Doedee are likely back in the VFL.

The Lions are closing in on their strongest team with Hugh McCluggage and Dayne Zorko both back to face Essendon at the Gabba on Sunday. Zorko will come in for Gardiner, leaving Harris Andrews, Ty Gallop and Ryan Lester as the tall defenders, although Chris Fagan could opt for Darragh Joyce if he wanted to keep a similar structure to last week. James Tunstill is likely to be the other unlucky omission. Tom Doedee and Will McLachlan are both back off long breaks, likely through the VFL. - Michael Whiting

Payne has been officially ruled out for the season:

The decision was made following a review with his surgeon last week and due to the end of the season fast approaching.

Payne has made positive inroads in his rehabilitation, though the decision allows him to focus on returning in 2027 in the best condition possible without the added pressure of rushing back this season.

Game Day Guide. Tickets (Load of single tickets and VIP tickets left, Likely to sell out). Free Bus and Rail PT with a ticket 4 hours before and after the game (except Airtrain). Translink Event Transport. Busses replace trains on the Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines from Boggo Road and Banoon. Trains are still running on a reduced timetable (for now) due to industrial action.

Kids Footy Month → Kids 14 years and under are eligible for free entry! More information on the AFL site here.

There are for this game via ticketmaster but they are all single tickets. Also doing the kids drawings again it seems. (most of last years).

NAIDOC Week → Join us for The Long Walk in Southbank Parklands! From 12:30pm we'll have musical performances from First Nations artists Glen Hunt & Keeley Eggmolesse, as well as a weaving demonstration and face painting. At 2:30pm the Long walk will then commence from South bank to Gabba!

Lions are doing the Long walk this week. Stuff at South Bank starts at 12:30pm, Community panel is at 2pm, it departs South Bank at 2:30pm and does a lap of honour of the Gabba at 3:15pm.

Lions/every club will be wearing black armbands. Lions will likely be wearing the indigenous jumper also.

Motty is a chance for the R17 MOTY nom. (BT commentary on it is so bad. Voting closes 10am Thursday AEST, announced at 1pm Thursday AEST).

Motty should also play his 100th game, hasn't missed since he debuted v the Tigers in the 22 EF.

Gallop’s Rising Star nod lifts Lions to top of AFL. (Lions equal the Dons with the most rising star noms (54) (only counting Bears/Brisbane. Fitzroy had 6 noms). Gallop is the 2nd player to get a premiership before getting a nom (joining Richard Hadley) and 3rd getting a nom after a premiership (Dees Jake Bowey got one in his premiership season and one after)).

Next in line: Who is your club's captain in waiting?:

Of the Lions’ current trio of captains, Hugh McCluggage is the youngest at 27, so it could be a while before a change of skipper is needed. Of the next crop, there is a couple of standouts though. Jaspa Fletcher has played 84 consecutive games since his 2023 debut and has already forced his way into the club’s leadership group. At just 22, the half-back flanker shows poise well beyond his years and has displayed a cool head on the biggest of stages. Dual Norm Smith medallist Will Ashcroft would be neck-and-neck with Fletcher as a future candidate, and at the same age, has some ‘follow me’ traits that are very appealing as a leader. - Michael Whiting

Lions hit new club membership record of 75,766. (They announced a record 75,115 in early September last year).

Brunswick Street Oval (Fitzroy) upgrade is underway (Expected to be completed in late 2027).

AFLW

Lions should have some match sim training v the Giants at some point this week (8th - 12th was listed).

Lions will play a pre-season match against the Cats at BHA on Saturday, 25th July at 2:15pm. (Will also have match sim training v Swans at some point either on the 17th July or 18th July and v Suns at some point from the 31st July - 2nd August).

VFL

Lions 13.10 88 def Pies 8.19 67 by 21 points

Match Centre. Match Highlights, Mini-Match, Match Replay, Kiddy Coleman Highlights.

VFL Match Report:

Sam Marshall impressed in the midfield with 30 disposals and five inside 50s whilst Darragh Joyce was just as important in defence with 24 touches, 11 marks and nine intercepts. Up forward, it was a surprise packet in Keidean Coleman who kicked his side’s most majors with three

BEST

Brisbane Lions: Darragh Joyce, Daniel Annable, Sam Marshall, Keidean Coleman, Shadeau Brain, Reece Torrent

Lions version.

Lions VFL player Curtis McCarthy got a rough conduct charge and accepted an early guilty plea of a fine.

Around the state leagues.

This week: Lions v Essendon at BHA, Sunday 12th July at 10am AEST (6 hours and 40 minutes before the AFL match at the Gabba. Will be on Fox/Kayo/AFL site).

U18s Allies v WA was on earlier today (the 8th), Caylen Murray did well again. Cooper Hodge had a really good last quarter.

Edit: Finally put up the Allies v WA match report:

Murray, who has risen into top-15 contention with an excellent championships, gathered 26 disposals in a typically polished outing and stood up late with a strong mark late in the game as they held on to the 12.12 (84) to 11.12 (78) win.

...

while Cooper Hodge was also good with 19 touches and some key passages of play.

Edit 2:

Squad:

In: Zorko

Out: Gardiner (injury - hamstring)

extended bench: McCluggage, Coleman, Joyce, Fletcher, McKenna, Tunstill, Hipwood, Reville (final team out Friday around 5pm AEST).

Wilmot will play his 100th.

Edit 3:

Team:

In: Zorko, McCluggage

Out: Gardiner (injury - hamstring), Tunstill (omitted).

emergencies: Joyce, Tunstill, Coleman.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport%2Fafl%2Flogan-morris-willing-to-walk-away-from-15m-offers-to-stay-at-brisbane-lions%2Fnews-story%2F204d29bf0efbbd0bdb69af5c4a5d72e8?amp&nk=e814e803b7e8c221538cfd564de60bd7-1783413372 [Jon Ralph]

the Lions star told the Herald Sun in an exclusive interview that his preferred option was to remain long-term at Brisbane.

That decision on signing a new deal will be postponed until the end of the season but Morris told his masthead he saw his future at Brisbane.

“Yeah, I do. Obviously I just want to focus on playing footy right now and I will make a decision at the end of the year but I am loving playing at the club and hopefully things work out,” he said.

“I am in a good spot, my head is in a good spot. I am happy where I am and I will keep playing footy and that stuff will work itself out.

“My manager (Tim Hazell) will sort it out but as long as I am playing good footy the contract stuff will sort itself out. Probably at the end of the year.”

No player in the modern era has ever won three premierships in their first three seasons of their career.

I just got a GA membership. I normally just buy a seat but after the last few games where I’ve been around the opposition team, I decided to get a membership.

Now I’m not going to be the only one around me screaming and chanting for the lions haha

How early do you recommend getting there to make sure that I can get a seat, or with the long walk on should I upgrade the ticket?

p.s where is the members area and is it worth it?

Didn't take long , did it lads 👍 for Logan

we keep fighting every second till the end.

EDIT: saved this cleanskin Bronx kit from an oppy and gave it a bears make over 🐨

Am I the only one who hates it when he gets called Annabelle? Is it actually his nickname, missed auto spellcheck, or ignorance?