Brisbane’s premiership hopes rest on their ability to take down an undermanned Collingwood on Friday night, according to David King.
Speaking on SEN, the former North Melbourne player turned media analyst has put the blowtorch on the Lions, who currently sit second on the ladder.
With Darcy Moore, Jordan De Goey and Nick Daicos all among the outs for the ladder-leading Magpies, King believes the Lions have all the cards in their favour at Marvel Stadium, and not only would defeat leave them almost certain to head into finals outside the top two, but would prove they are still not yet ready to truly compete for a flag.
“Let’s just call a spade a spade. If Brisbane are to win the flag this year, they’ve got to beat Collingwood on Friday,” King said.
“Simple as that. If they’re not good enough to beat Collingwood on Friday night, all guns blazing, all on the line – if they can’t win this, in my opinion, they can’t win it. Put up or shut up.
“I’m tipping them; I think Brisbane gets the job done.”
And for King, there is one man that could drag the Lions over the line – former captain Dayne Zorko, the oldest member of the team and who may never get the chance to win a flag again.
“How many more opportunities are you going to get to win a flag if you’re Dayne Zorko?” King asked.
“He’ll be 35 in February next year… This is almost it, isn’t it?
“He’s played forward since he came back into the line-up and he’s hardly hit the scoreboard. He’s played 40 per cent midfield and 60 per cent forward and hasn’t set the world on fire.
“It’s a big night for Dayne Zorko to just try and separate this game.”
A Lions victory would close the gap between them and the Magpies in first to just a solitary victory, though they’d need the Pies to also lose to Essendon in Round 24 while themselves defeating St Kilda to snatch the minor premiership.
Lachie Neale celebrates a goal. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Big Cat, star Bomber return for early elimination finals
Essendon’s finals bid has received a huge double boost with the return of Jake Stringer and Sam Draper, while Geelong welcome back Tom Hawkins in their own last-ditch effort to make the eight.
Draper has been missing since round 13 with a hip injury, while Stringer (foot) hasn’t been sighted since round 19.
But the duo have been named for Saturday’s must-win clash with 10th-placed GWS in a match that is effectively an elimination final.
Eleventh-placed Geelong are in the same boat, and the return of Hawkins from a hamstring injury is welcome news ahead of Saturday night’s clash with fellow finals aspirants St Kilda.
Jeremy Cameron booted 7.4 in last week’s eight-point loss to Collingwood, while Hawkins has kicked 47 goals from 19 games this season as part of one of the AFL’s most formidable forward pairings.
“Cameron could have kicked 12 last week. He’s pretty frightening,” Saints coach Ross Lyon said.
“Is Hawkins coming back? He’s handy.”
In continuing with the spearhead theme, Carlton’s bid for a ninth consecutive victory has been helped by the early return of Harry McKay.
McKay was expected to miss six weeks after injuring his knee in round 18.
But the 25-year-old has impressed on the training track and will return for Saturday’s meeting with Gold Coast.
The Suns get back their own spearhead in the form of Ben King (knee soreness), while Connor Budarick has been named to make his AFL return more than 400 days after suffering a second serious knee injury.
Collingwood will be without captain Darcy Moore (hamstring), Jordan De Goey (glute) and Bobby Hill (hamstring) for Friday night’s top-of-the-table showdown against the Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium.
Steele Sidebottom (foot) returns, while Jakob Ryan will make his AFL debut.
Brisbane recalled defender, Keidean Coleman following his eye injury, but forward Jack Gunston (knee) is sidelined.
Adelaide welcome back Izak Rankine following his three-week absence with a hamstring strain, while last week’s sub Josh Rachele is back in the 22 for the Saturday night match against Sydney.
The Swans get back co-captain Dane Rampe (calf) but have lost Joel Amartey (hamstring).
Retiring veteran Trent Cotchin is back for Richmond for their match against North Melbourne at the MCG, with the Tigers also boosted by the return of Jacob Hopper.
(Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The Western Bulldogs lost midfield gun Tom Liberatore to concussion for Sunday’s match against wooden spoon favourites West Coast.
The Eagles are still without retiring duo Luke Shuey and Shannon Hurn, with the pair set to be unleashed at home in the final round against Adelaide for their farewell match.
Hawthorn lost Mitch Lewis (foot) and Chad Wingard (ruptured Achilles) ahead of Sunday’s clash with Melbourne.
Fremantle will be without Michael Walters (calf) for Sunday’s meeting with Port Adelaide.
The Power are expected to get back Travis Boak from illness.
Mitchell prepared to lose assistant Newman to senior coaching job
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has admitted he is ‘a little bit’ nervous about the prospect of losing highly rated assistant coach Chris Newman, amid strong links to the vacant Richmond senior coaching position.
However, the Hawks boss is also prepared to assist the former Tigers captain in securing the job should he wish to make a play for it.
“I said to ‘Newy’ yesterday, ‘if I have to read one more article about you and Richmond, mate – I already know that you barrack for Richmond,” Mitchell joked on SEN.
“He still calls all the [Richmond] boys by their nicknames and all those things. He gets plenty of ribbing from our coaches in here!
“But he’s a fantastic coach. He’s a really good friend of mine, so I’ve spoken to him about it as a friend first and coach second.
“If I can help him in his endeavours to get a senior coaching job, then my friendship with him will override the loyalty for him to do his job for me at the Hawks.”
Mitchell is unclear on whether Newman will leave to head up the Tigers come season’s end, but he is reportedly among the favourites in a coaching shortlist put together by the club, which includes current caretaker Andrew McQualter, Essendon assistant Daniel Giansiracusa, Melbourne duo Adem Yze and Troy Chaplin and Collingwood’s Hayden Skipworth.
Newman played 268 games for the Tigers before retiring in 2015, while he also captained the club between 2009 and 2012.
