The “Battle of Brisbane” on Friday night has the NRL buzzing, but on the south side of the river in the Queensland capital, the Lions have a fight on two fronts to consider in the AFL. Brisbane’s clash against Melbourne at the Gabba, scheduled at the same time as the meeting between the unbeaten Broncos and Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium, serves as an early-season barometer.
After a disappointing 54-point loss to the Power in Adelaide last week, the clash with Melbourne is an important challenge for a side considered a premiership contender. It is relatively rare in the AFL for teams that drop their first two matches to play in the finals, though Brisbane is among recent exceptions, having done so in 2021.
