The last time the Lions lost consecutive matches was when the Season 7 Grand Final loss to Melbourne was followed with a first-up loss to Richmond in 2023. For two straight losses in the one season, you have to go back to the Covid-affected season of 2020 when Brisbane lost three straight to finish the year. The only team that has gone as long without consecutive losses is Adelaide who also closed out 2020 with three defeats.
Last Only time they met
Brisbane had not yet won a game at Brighton Homes Arena when the Swans came to visit last September. From the moment that Charlie Mullins opened the scoring after 62 seconds, the Lions had the match under control, reaching 25 points at quarter-time and 50 points at half-time. The momentum didn’t quite take them to the century, but 14 goals, including to Courtney Hodder from the right pocket, Dakota Davidson from the other right pocket, and Lily Postlethwaite’s first major after returning from injury led Brisbane to its second-highest score (87) and fifth-largest win (55).
Gonna make this Gardiner grow
Sydney midfielder Laura Gardiner sent the statisticians into a frenzy against Brisbane last year when she recorded 41 disposals. Slightly lost in the noise was the qualifier from coach Scott Gowans who noted that only 22 of those disposals were effective and noted that “Laura found the footy okay but, probably, ball use-wise, (has) still got a bit of a way to go”. It only took a fortnight for Gardiner to go that bit of a way. From Rounds 4 to 10, Gardiner’s disposal efficiency never dipped below 60% en route to an All-Australian blazer.
2024 began slowly for Gardiner but she was starting to find targets again before her hand injury earlier this month. She is currently second in the league averages for both disposals (29.4) and effective disposals (17.9) and probably would have recorded those numbers even if Chloe Molloy, who was held to just four effective disposals by the Lions last year, had been fit. The return of Gardiner will have Brisbane’s attention.
The Svarc reality
Speaking of disposal efficiency, the major improver for the Lions in 2024 is Cathy Svarc. When assessing Svarc’s play, the columns that have traditionally drawn the eye have been for tackles, pressure acts, opponents visibly frightened, etc. The columns nearer the left of the spreadsheet usually show 10 or 11 disposals at around 60%. In 2024, Svarc is producing 12.3 disposals a match at 72.1%. No inside midfielder in Brisbane’s AFLW history has made over 100 disposals at a higher efficiency. Yes, her tackle numbers are down this year mainly because Brisbane has had more of the ball, but the popular conception of what Cathy Svarc provides to the Lions may need updating.
Avoiding tackles: ‘do-over’ edition
The Lions went into last week’s match against Geelong leading the AFLW for fewest tackles conceded (then 61.3). The Cats, who were equal second on that list with 65.9, responded by laying 77 tackles on Brisbane, only one fewer than the Bulldogs made during their heavy loss to the Lions in week 4.
Brisbane still leads that category, and Geelong is still in equal second with… Sydney. While the Swans are only ninth for tackles made (74.1), they chased ladder-leaders North Melbourne/Tasmania around North Hobart Oval two weeks ago to record a staggering 108 tackles, so their workrate is not in question. The Lions never liked being out-tackled, doubly so when they lose, and may appreciate the immediate chance to show that they can move the ball faster than the opposition can bring them to ground.
Good records, bad records
Sophie Conway remains on track to break the club record for most inside-50s in a season; the winger and forward is currently on 41 with the record standing at 49. Conway is averaging 10.6 uncontested possessions a match, the highest season average for any Lion whose name does not rhyme with Sally Yanderson, and needs just two tackles to break her personal season best in that column.
Conway is also one short of Greta Bodey’s club record for most behinds in a season, 13 in season 7. The negative reading of that stat is that Conway is missing the goals a lot, but the more positive view is that she is getting into more scoring positions and feels sufficiently empowered to have a ping. Obviously, Conway would love to break her personal season goals best of 12 from last year, but would it be such a bad thing to miss a couple of shots and take that behinds record as well? Computer says ‘no’.
Possible Stat Milestones
Compared with many of her teammates, Charlie Mullins has been in the Brisbane side for what feels like two seconds. In reality, four disposals on Sunday evening will take her to 250 in the AFLW while three uncontested possessions will bring up a tally of 150. That’s in addition to recently passing 100 contested possessions and 50 score involvements.
Ally Anderson averages 225 metres gained per match. If she can gain a mere 162 metres against Sydney, Anderson will become the first player to gain 20 kilometres in a career for the Lions. For context, 20 ‘kays’ from Brighton Homes Arena would take you to Indooroopilly, Jimboomba, the RAAF base at Amberley, or the possible future Olympic Stadium at Nathan depending on who ends up winning the Queensland election.
