According to Assistant Coach Gary O’Donnell, the Brisbane Lions’ plans for the second half of the 2012 AFL season include returning the Gabba to the fortress it was back in the Club’s heyday.

Speaking with LIONS TV as part of the weekly Vero Coaches’ Wrap, O’Donnell said that the team’s Round 10 triumph over West Coast proved that Gabba was still one of the toughest road trips in the competition.

“We have to make the Gabba a fortress again,” O’Donnell said.

“It has been disappointing that we have already lost a few early games at home against some of the better sides, but the West Coast game was terrific for us. We’ve beaten a team that was on top of the ladder.”

“We have to use that and make it tough for every team that visits the Gabba.”

With back-to-back matches in Melbourne scheduled over the next two weeks, the Lions won’t play at home until Round 14 when they host Melbourne for the Club’s first ever Sunday twilight game at the Gabba.

St Kilda (Round 16), Richmond (Round 19), Adelaide (Round 21) and the Western Bulldogs (Round 23) will also travel to Brisbane in the second half of the season.

O’Donnell also reflected on the team’s first half of the season, listing Dayne Zorko, Mitch Golby and Joel Patfull among the players he had been most impressed with so far.

“Zorko promised so much in the pre-season, and then got injured,” O’Donnell said.

“But certainly he’s been a real bonus for us, and we’re looking for big things from him in the second half.”

“Mitch Golby, who won a Rising Star Nomination, has had a pretty solid year and has been really good for us.”

“Joel Patfull has been wonderful down back. I don’t think he’s been beaten by an opponent in the 10 games.”