ALTHOUGH Matthew Leuenberger's Achilles injury has left a 204cm hole in Saturday night's QClash, it now pits two of the most exciting young ruckmen in the competition head-to-head.
Gold Coast's Zac Smith finished third in last year's NAB Rising Star and impressed everyone with his skill and mobility, while the Brisbane Lions' second-gamer Billy Longer is a brute of a teenager who loves a scrap.
Both will have help from veterans at the Gabba on Saturday night - Smith from Josh Fraser and Longer from Ben Hudson - but watching the rucking tyros' battle shapes as a highlight of the third Queensland derby.
Longer, 18, made his debut against Fremantle last week and was thrown in the deep end against giant Aaron Sandilands when Leuenberger limped off in the first quarter.
It's the first time the 201cm, 103kg Longer has not looked down on an opponent in his Australian football career.
But the No. 8 draft pick and Under-18 Vic Metro captain was not shirking the task.
"There was lots of nerves and pressure you put on yourself so it was good to get it done. As sad as it was to see 'Leuey' come off it gave me a chance to spend more time in the ruck," Longer said.
"Playing against someone of [Sandilands'] stature, you can't help but learn some things from him.
"The way he presents himself and his body, it's something I'm trying to develop into my game as well."
Earlier in the week, Lions coach Michael Voss described Longer as a "competitive beast", and said he set the tone for his team's attitude.
"A week ago I was bruised and battered on one side of my face, but that comes in the unwritten terms of being a ruckman, it's a part of the contract you get into a couple of scuffles and you just work through it," Longer said.
"You embrace it, love it and it's part of the game. I do enjoy the aggressive side of football. If ruckmen do take on the tone of the team, I'm more than happy to set the atmosphere for the midfielders to work with."
Just 70km down the Pacific Highway is 22-year-old Smith, who had two sluggish performances to begin the season, but like most of his teammates, improved dramatically against Essendon on Saturday night.
The 205cm ruckman has played 24 games now and said the rest of the competition had done its homework ahead of the Suns' second season.
"Last year they didn't know who half our players were, including myself, they didn't know my strengths and weaknesses, but now they're hunting us," Smith said.
"They definitely know who we are and are attacking us."
Smith had 17 disposals and 18 hit-outs against Essendon and said it was a "shame" he wouldn't play Leuenberger, but was full of praise for Hudson and particularly Longer.
Smith's run-and-spread is exceptional for his size, as are his skills at ground level, and they're elements he plans on re-activating against the Lions.
"He's (Longer) in a similar position to me last year," Smith said.
"I like going up against guys close to my age because you're normally going up against older, more experienced guys. Billy is a pretty exciting young fella so it'll be good to go up against him."
Michael Whiting covers Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_mikewhiting
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club
