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Sport Nation
Buckley: Brisbane are charged and ready to attack
Jaiden Sciberras • September 16th, 2025 4:30 pm
Brisbane were banged up and well bruised off the back of their Qualifying defeat to Geelong.
Both Cam Rayner and Hugh McCluggage were well beaten by the tag, Logan Morris was unable to impact, dominated at centre bounce and losing dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale to a significant calf injury, repeating the feat of 2024 seemed a distant dream.
Coming up against a fired up younger brother in the Gold Coast Suns, the Lions were well and truly up against it, needing to respond in a big way to keep their season alive.
And respond they did.
In the biggest game in Queensland footballing history, the Brisbane Lions looked back to their best, dominating the Suns in the first ever post-season Q-Clash to win by 53 points and advance to the Preliminary Final for the fourth straight year.
Proving time and time again that the Lions can never be ruled out of contention, Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley was highly impressed with the side’s ability to recoup after what was a smashing in week one of September.
“I thought Brisbane would only really have the one punch left in them,” Buckley told SEN’s Whateley.
“They were pretty banged up and there was a lot of negativity surrounding their qualifying final loss, and they've done a fantastic job.
“They didn't look like they were running out of steam. They looked like they were charged and ready to throw a few more punches yet.
“I think Brisbane, for all that they've lost out of last year, (Joe) Daniher obviously being the big one, (Lachie) Neale, they'll miss, but they've just been able to find a way.”
Looking forward to the upcoming Preliminary Finals, Buckley believes both the contest between Collingwood and Brisbane and Friday night’s clash between Geelong and Hawthorn could go either way.
“I think that that game (between Collingwood and Brisbane) is going to be sensational,” Buckley said.
“I've got that as close to a 50/50 as you can get, and the Geelong Hawthorn (game)… we've been around there before, haven't we?
“It’s going to be fascinating. The Hawks are up and going, they're the ones with momentum, but so too are Geelong.
“You couldn't have asked more from them the way they finished off the year against lesser teams, and then the way they faced one of the most hardened teams in Brisbane at the back end of the year (was sensational).”
Brisbane take on Collingwood at the MCG this Saturday afternoon, while the Cats and the Hawks will light up the ‘G on Friday night.
