The lingering reminiscences of their first-round shocker in opposition to Port Adelaide can have the Brisbane Lions cautious of the struggling Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Thursday evening.
Whereas the Lions bounced again to type final Friday with a house win over Melbourne, the earlier week’s surprising debacle at Adelaide Oval after an excellent pre-season will guarantee there isn’t a touch of complacency when taking over the Bulldogs, who’re staring down the barrel of a hat-trick of defeats.
“There’s a constructive really feel across the place however on the identical time there was a constructive really feel across the place after we beat Sydney and Geelong in these follow video games, after which we paid the worth for that slightly bit within the first spherical, albeit Port performed very properly,” Lions coach Chris Fagan stated.
“Despite the fact that final week was a superb win, we’re taking part in a group (on Thursday evening) that’s slightly bit wounded, (and) been underneath the blowtorch all week in Melbourne.
“We’ve received monumental respect for the Canines. We’ve had some good battles with them over the previous couple of years.
“They’ve performed within the finals yearly. We’re anticipating the very best model of the Western Bulldogs that there could be, so it’s truly actually good that this take a look at comes for us a few weeks after spherical one.”
It’s a “take a look at” that may maintain additional significance for Lions star Josh Dunkley, who will lock horns along with his former membership for the primary time since his low season transfer to Brisbane,
“He’s a aggressive beast,:” Fagan stated of Dunkley.
“There’s no trepidation there. He simply needs to get out and play for the Lions in opposition to his previous group. He’s very a lot trying ahead to that chance.”
Fagan additionally stated Thursday evening’s match can be a superb take a look at for rising expertise Will Ashcroft after the hype surrounding his spherical two Rising Star nomination for his efficiency in opposition to the Demons.
“The decide of that’s how they play that subsequent week. On the floor, he appears to have coped with it very well,” Fagan stated of the teenage son of Lions triple-premiership winner Marcus Ashcroft.
“He’s a fairly right down to earth man, fairly matter of truth, (and) he doesn’t get too excited by something.
“He was actually upset along with his efficiency in opposition to Port. He used that to elevate his stage final week and I’m positive his intention might be now to remain at that stage and even enhance on that.”
The Lions have made one change to their 22 from final week, with Keidean Coleman getting back from concussion to interchange veteran defender Daniel Wealthy, who has been dominated out with a quad harm.
