One kick.

In the end, that’s what can prove to be the difference between winning and losing.

Take the Brisbane Lions’ two matches against Geelong last season as an example.

In Round 13, the Lions produced a record-breaking come-from-behind victory that will become part of Club folklore for many years to come.

Trailing by 52 points late in the third quarter, the entire team lifted to overrun the Cats with eight final quarter goals.

But, in the end, it all came down to one kick.

Trailing by one point after the final siren, and with the ball in milestone man Ash McGrath’s hands, the possible outcomes were pretty clear.

If McGrath kicks a goal, the Lions win. Kick a behind, and it’s a draw. Miss everything altogether, then the Cats take home the four points.

History now tells us that McGrath kicked truly to complete a fairytale finish for both him and his team.

“It's a boyhood dream. Everyone does it when they're a small kid, kicking into goals or kicking through a gate," McGrath said after the match.

“You always dream of kicking the winning goal to get your team over the line. It's just a surreal feeling at the moment.”

Fast forward 10 weeks, and the Lions found themselves in a similar situation.

However this time the match was being played on enemy territory at Simonds Stadium.

In a hectic final minute, the Lions trailed by just two points with the ball deep in their forward line.

The ball eventually spilled to Ryan Lester, whose last-gasp snap was rushed through on the goal-line for just one behind.

It was the final passage of play, with the Lions ultimately coming up one point shy of another upset.

The circumstances were far different from those in Round 13, with Lester not having the luxury of taking a set shot. Instead, he had to hurriedly throw the ball onto his right boot as he was set upon by a host of desperate Cats defenders.

It certainly wasn’t any fault of Lester’s that the Lions came up short on that occasion, as there were countless other missed opportunities in the 119 minutes beforehand.

However, those moments in the dying stages of matches are always scrutinised far more heavily in the public eye.

Fortunately, Lester was able to get over ‘that kick’ pretty quickly, but not without some playful ribbing from his teammates.

“I got over it once we were on the bus and Carlton beat Port Adelaide (making the result of the Lions’ match irrelevant in terms of Finals),” Lester recently told the Fancast.

“It all became a big joke after that. It was obviously disappointing and could have been a good moment for me, but we just joke about that now.”

With both teams securing a narrow win each from their matches in 2013, who knows what might happen this Sunday afternoon when the Lions and Cats renew acquaintances at the Gabba...