Despite making their second straight NAB AFL Women's Grand Final, the Brisbane Lions don't get the respect they deserve, says rugged utility Brittany Gibson.
The Lions qualified for Saturday's decider against the Western Bulldogs after winning their final round match against GWS and then watching results go their way to finish second.
Few, if any, experts had Brisbane pegged in the top-two in pre-season predictions, while not one opposing captain thought the Lions would get back to the decider.
Yet for the second season in succession, they've made it, and will start as underdogs at Ikon Park on Saturday.
"I'm not surprised," Gibson said.
"We've been rated as the underdogs and lacking that little bit of respect.
"We're working as a team to build that respect among the competition.
"All we can do is keep winning and build that respect."
Brisbane lost the inaugural AFLW Grand Final by six points to Adelaide and will have to win away from home to lift the trophy this year.
Gibson says the Lions are not bothered by having to travel.
"We thrive on being the underdog and that challenge," she said.
"Being an away game in Melbourne doesn’t bother us … I think we've lost one game and had one draw since being in the competition – we embrace that challenge."
The Lions will enter the match on the back of their best attacking performance in two seasons, slamming on six goals in the opening term against the Giants to run out 40-point winners.
Captain Emma Zielke said she rode "every bump, tackle, missed mark, missed kick" on Sunday as she and her teammates gathered to cheer Collingwood home over Adelaide and secure Brisbane's second place.
"We've worked hard all season to be there on Saturday," she said.
"I don't think it's luck that we're in the Grand Final, it's another opportunity for us to be in the second one in a row."
Zielke said being written off by the experts was motivating.
"At the captain's media day, no-one tipped us to be in the top two again, which is completely fine with us, we thrive off that.
"We love the thought that we're the underdogs all the time."
