Etihad Stadium hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Brisbane Lions in recent seasons.

In fact, the Lions have lost six of their past seven regular season matches at the Melbourne venue by an average margin of 50.5 points – the sole win coming against the Western Bulldogs in Round 13 last year.

However, the Lions have had plenty of practice on the Etihad Stadium surface this pre-season, defeating both Collingwood and Carlton in succession on their way to securing the Club’s first ever NAB Cup.

The Lions will now return to Docklands again in the hope of making it three-in-a-row against the Western Bulldogs.

“It’s been great to be able to (get experience playing at Etihad Stadium) during the NAB Cup,” Assistant Coach Murray Davis told LIONS TV as part of the Vero Coaches’ Wrap.

“We were able to plan a few different things around those NAB Cup games as well, so that venue holds no fears for us.”

Davis said that Round One has been the Club’s primary focus throughout the entire pre-season – with their past six months of training directed towards this Saturday.

“(Round One) has been a focus of ours all throughout the NAB Cup, and we’re really pleased and excited by the fact that we get to go on the road and play in front of our Victorian members and supporters,” Davis said.

“We’ve watched (the Bulldogs) closely over the NAB Cup. They had a great win over Hawthorn and were really good in (winning the contested ball).”