The Brisbane Lions have found themselves in unchartered territory as the 2020 AFL home-and-away season heads towards a spine-tingling finish.

For the first time in club history the Lions have an 11 in the win column on the Round 15 ladder despite having had a bye.

Only twice before in 33 years has the club posted 11 wins by Round 15 – in 2002 and 2004 – and both times it had taken 15 games.

This comes after the Lions beat Collingwood 6-6 (42) to 5-4 (34) last Friday night to register their lowest winning score post-merger and their lowest winning score all-time at the Gabba.

The low-scoring struggle right to the final siren was a continuation of what has been a regular event in the Covid season of reduced game time.

The club had entered the 2020 campaign with a lowest winning score post-merger of 8-11 (59) against Gold Coast at Carrara in 2012, and a lowest winning score all-time at the Gabba of 8-17 (65) against Fitzroy in 1994.

They lowered the post-merger mark when they kicked 7-11 (53) in beating Melbourne at Metricon Stadium in Round 8 and matched that mark against North Melbourne at Metricon in Round 12.

Then in Round 13 they lowered not only the lowest winning score post-merger but also the lowest winning score at the Gabba when they kicked 6-14 (50) to beat StKilda in Round 13.

After a Round 14 bye they went below both against Collingwood in the club’s 329^th game at the Gabba.

The 6-6 (42) score that took the points against the Pies was the second lowest winning score in Brisbane Football Club history, higher only than the 4-12 (36) the Brisbane Bears kicked in beating Footscray at the Whitten Oval in 1996.

For the Fitzroy faithful, the lowest winning score in Fitzroy history was 2-10 (22) against Collingwood at Brunswick Street Oval in a semi-final in 1898.

Fitzroy won that day by 11 points to qualify for the first VFL grand final against Essendon at Junction Oval, which they won 5-8 (38) to 3-5 (23).

The Lions’ win over the Pies on Friday night was also just the second time the Bears/Lions have won despite having two goalless quarters.

The club had only endured two goalless quarters in a game 12 times in 764 games previously, but if you’d told coach Chris Fagan it was going to happen again against Collingwood and showed him the record books he would have been mortified.

Only once previously had the club won under such circumstances – when the Bears went goalless in the first and last quarter against StKilda at Waverley in 1994 but kicked seven goals in the third quarter to win 8-7 (55) to 5-15 (45).

And in the other 11 games the average losing margin was almost 62 points.

But although the Lions won’t have a chance to challenge the club’s record home-and-away win count of 17 in 2001 and 2002 due to the shortened season, the numbers are stacking up nicely for the Lions coach.

In what has become a six-way battle for a top four finish the Lions sit equal second with Geelong, a game behind Port Adelaide, half a game ahead of Richmond, a game ahead of West Coast and two games ahead of St.Kilda.

Most importantly, they have a game in hand as they prepare to finish with Gold Coast at the Gabba on Wednesday night, Sydney in Cairns on Sunday and Carlton (date and venue to be announced).

While percentage could still play a role in determining final ladder placings, two wins from their last three games against will guarantee the Lions a top four spot. Three wins will ensure they finish now lower than second.

Mathematically 10 teams remain in the battle for a finals berth.

Standings at Round 15, with remaining opponents for each club in Rounds 16-17-18 are:-