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AAP
AAP
Justin Chadwick

Suns angry and frustrated at being QClash easybeats

The Suns will have to reverse recent QClash form to keep their AFL finals hopes alive. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Gold Coast are frustrated and angry at being the Brisbane Lions' bunny, and they're keen to turn the tables on their arch rivals.

Brisbane have won 10 of the past 11 matches against the Suns, with their only slip-up along that stretch being in round 20 last year when they lost by 41 points.

The Lions' QClash dominance since 2018 isn't just represented by the sheer number of wins, but also the margins.

In their past 10 derby triumphs, Brisbane's average winning margin has been a whopping 45.7 points.

With their finals hopes hanging by an edge, 12th-placed Gold Coast (9-9) know victory is crucial when they take on Brisbane at People First Stadium on Saturday.

"There's a fair bit of frustration and anger that they've had the number on us over the last four or five years collectively," Suns vice-captain Noah Anderson told reporters on Wednesday.

"I hope the rest of my career we'll start to win that back our way."

Noah Anderson.
Noah Anderson is tackled during a 2023 QClash at the Gabba. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Anderson's personal record against the Lions is 1-7, reflecting the general struggles Gold Coast have had in beating their rivals.

Overall, Brisbane lead the head-to-head record 19-7, and they will start as hot favourites to continue that dominant run this weekend.

The Lions (11-6-1) have won seven consecutive games to shoot into third spot.

But last week's two-point win over Sydney came at a big cost, losing defender Darragh Joyce to a fractured jaw and co-captain Harris Andrews to concussion.

With Jack Payne (foot) also on the sidelines, it leaves Brisbane's defence threadbare against a Suns attack featuring Coleman Medal contender Ben King, who has kicked 45 goals this season.

The Lions' mounting injury toll has even led to some out-of-the-box suggestions of shifting forward Eric Hipwood into defence.

Hipwood isn't totally unfamiliar to the role, with the 203cm big man named in the U18 All-Australian team of 2015 as a defender.

"If that becomes something, I'm sure Eric will take it with two hands, and he'll be really good down there," Brisbane defender Shadeau Brain said of Hipwood's potential move down back to tackle King.

"We would love to have Darragh and Payney and Harris out there.

"But with whoever comes in, we have really big confidence in."

Gold Coast could be bolstered by the return of ruckman Jarrod Witts, but Touk Miller will miss another one or two weeks with a wrist injury.

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