The Brisbane Lions have finished on top of the 2013 NAB Cup ladder at the end of the pre-season preliminary rounds as the only undefeated team.

However, as has been well publicised, it still wasn’t enough for the Lions to be granted the opportunity to host the Grand Final in their home State.

Instead, the Lions will travel to Etihad Stadium for the second week in a row to face second-placed Carlton in the NAB Cup decider.

Despite suffering a narrow loss to Adelaide last Friday night, the Blues held onto second position thanks to a healthy percentage of 141.5. It elevated them above Geelong, St Kilda, Richmond, Collingwood and North Melbourne, who also went through the NAB Cup with just one loss.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, reigning Grand Finalists Hawthorn finished the pre-season as the only winless team.

It’s worth noting, however, that the Hawks’ lost three of their four matches by just one point! The other, of course, was at the hands of the Lions in Round One.

The merged Lions are one of five teams who have never won a pre-season competition – along with West Coast, Fremantle, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.

The Club’s last pre-season success came as Fitzroy in 1978 – although the merged Lions have played off in two NAB Cup Grand Finals, in 2001 and 2007.

In fact, the Lions’ last appearance in the pre-season decider was also played against Carlton at Etihad Stadium. Let’s hope that history doesn’t repeat itself, with the Blues running out 25-point winners on that occasion.

Final 2013 AFL NAB Cup Ladder