Saturday 28 March 2009
The Gabba, 6.10pm
The Vodafone Brisbane Lions face West Coast in a blockbuster 2009 AFL Premiership Season opener at the Gabba on Saturday 28 March in a true battle of East meets West.
The Lions have not lost a season opener on home soil for more than a decade and need the support of a parochial Gabba crowd to help keep this streak alive.
The Eagles have no fear of the Gabba – having won four of their past five matches at the venue – and hold the best record of any AFL team against the Lions since the 1997 merger.
It will be an historic match of firsts so be sure to secure your tickets and become part of Club history.
After spending two seasons as Co-Captain, reigning dual Club Champion Jonathan Brown will lead the team out for the first official time as sole Club Captain.
The powerhouse centre half forward has booted 13 goals in his past three matches against the Eagles and will be keen to help lift his side to victory.
But Saturday 28 March will be forever marked as the day Brownlow Medallist and three-time premiership Captain Michael Voss took the reigns of his former Club for the first time in a premiership match as Senior Coach.
Coincidentally, Voss will coach his first official AFL match against the side he initially signed with as an Assistant Coach for two years.
One of Voss’ messages to the playing group for the past six months has been quite simple – ‘Be Ready’.
After one of the toughest pre-seasons that the players have ever experienced – the team is ready.
They are ready to face the Eagles, ready to make the Gabba a fortress again and ready to return to September action.
Are you ready?
