LEIGH Matthews says the Brisbane Lions will relish a big-game atmosphere as they look to post a first win of the new season against arch-rivals Collingwood at the Gabba on Friday night.
Strong ticket sales are set to deliver a bumper crowd and Matthews said the level of interest in the clash would be welcomed by players as well as marketers.
“Eight clubs got their season started in a positive way and eight didn’t,” he said.
“You’ve got to get a win to get your season started and Collingwood games are always good with the big crowd and big interest. People either love or hate Collingwood – it’s what it’s all about.
“From a marketing point of view, playing Collingwood up here early in the season is exactly what club wants. And from a player’s point of view, it’s always a bit different playing Collingwood for those same reasons.”
The showdown with the Magpies will pit the Lions against former teammate Cameron Wood, who was traded to Collingwood as part of the deal that brought former Melbourne midfielder Travis Johnstone to the Gabba.
The sudden retirement of Beau McDonald during the summer reduced the Lions’ “experienced” ruck stocks to Jamie Charman and Matthew Leuenberger.
Although his own big man stocks are now thinned, Matthews believes Wood’s departure remains the move that best serves his former charge’s personal aspirations.
“Cameron left because he thought Jamie Charman and Matthew Leuenberger, as a young up and coming ruckman, were probably going to be preferred to him. And that’s true,” Matthews said.
“I suspect if he’d still been here last week and had been available, Cameron would have been playing in our reserves side. At Collingwood, he gets an opportunity.
“I don’t think there would be a situation where we would be playing Charman, Leuenberger and Cameron Wood in the same team.”
The Lions will train at the Gabba for the first time this year on Wednesday and Matthews is hoping the ground staff has the playing surface soft enough for AFL action.
“We always try and give them three or four weeks to try and let them turn it into a football ground rather than a cricket ground. We’ll see how they’ve gone shortly,” he said.
“We could have been on the ground three weeks ago but we’ve done that before and it was so firm and fast that we felt it was creating injuries.
“Hopefully they’ll have cored it and softened it up as best they can get it.”
Jed Adcock (leg) and Robbie Copeland (ankle) remain in doubt for the Collingwood match, while Ash McGrath (knee surgery) is expected to return to action but may do so through the reserves.
