THE BRISBANE Lions can't play finals this year, but they sure as anything don't want Gold Coast turning up in the September fixture.
With the Suns in ninth place and desperately needing a win to keep their maiden finals hopes afloat, Lions livewire Dayne Zorko says it's more than just state pride on the line at the Gabba on Saturday night.
The Lions are battling to avoid the wooden spoon, but Zorko said they realise there will be another factor at play in the round 18 QClash.
"If we're not playing finals, we definitely don't want Gold Coast playing finals," Zorko said ahead of Lions training on Thursday morning.
"It'd be great for Queensland football, but we want to be the dominant side in Queensland. There's no doubt about that."
Gold Coast demoralised its south-east Queensland rivals earlier this season, winning by 53 points, to regain the QClash Cup.
Zorko said the Lions had revisited the painful loss this week, and identified winning the contested ball as a real focus area.
"It was the first QClash I'd lost," he said.
"It's not great losing any match, but against the Suns, you want to be the dominant side in Queensland.
"QClash is a different game compared to any other game I believe.
"Plans seem to go out the window early on. It's just whoever's hardest at the ball and can get into that contest first.
"I don't think it'll be nasty or spiteful, but I definitely think boys are going to be going extremely hard at the ball."
Zorko said he expected the loss of injured skipper Gary Ablett to make a minimal difference to the Suns, highlighting David Swallow, Dion Prestia and Jaeger O'Meara as midfielders who could all elevate to a new level.
Meanwhile, the remainder of the season for Lion Mitch Golby looks in serious doubt after the young defender was limping around training in a moon boot on Thursday.
He has a stress reaction in his left foot and will see a specialist on Friday for further advice.
Twitter: @AFL_mikewhiting https://twitter.com/AFL_mikewhiting
