Lions co-captain Lachie Neale has hailed “selfless” teammate Jarrod Berry, who’s taking advantage of his alternative to play within the coronary heart of Brisbane’s midfield.
Having needed to accept a spot on the wing for a number of seasons, Berry has relished the prospect to maneuver nearer to the motion in a Lions aspect that after a sluggish begin to its season, is unbeaten in its previous three matches, together with a 119-point weekend thrashing of Richmond.
“(With) his transition from the wing to the within … he’s taking part in some actually good footy,” star midfielder Neale mentioned of Berry.
“His toughness and his will to compete holds him and us in nice stead.
“He’s a team-first participant, and listens to the whole lot we ask of him in there. It’s nice that he’s getting reward for his effort.
“He’s performed such a selfless position on the wing for us for therefore lengthy when he’s most likely often called an inside-mid. He’s getting reward for all of the stuff that he’s sacrificed for the group for a very long time.
“He’s the final word group man. He’s first one to say that he’s prepared to sacrifice his recreation for the group.
“I haven’t actually seen a change in his perspective, you simply know the skilled and particular person that he’s … no matter position we as him to play, he’s simply going to do it.”
“In the meanwhile it’s a ball-hunter, an inside-mid and making use of strain and tackling and chase, and offering run by way of the center of the bottom which he’s doing very well.”
Berry is about to once more play a key position in Brisbane’s bid to beat Hawthorn for the primary time since 2019 when the groups meet at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
The Hawks have received 4 in a row towards Brisbane regardless of the Lions robust kind in recent times.
“I really feel like we’ve been a fairly good group for that time frame, and 2019’s a very long time in the past now, so hopefully we are able to buck that pattern,” Neale mentioned.
Hawthorn suffered a one-point weekend loss to Port Adelaide after throwing away a 41-point lead they’d late within the third quarter at Adelaide Oval.
“It was a fairly loopy ending however the Hawks have been nice. They performed some superb footy,” Neale mentioned.
“The Hawks for the final month have proven what they’ll do they usually’re going to be actually exhausting to beat this week. Their season’s nonetheless alive too. They’re taking part in it and matching it towards some actually good groups.
“They’ll again themselves on this week as we’ll, so it must be a fantastic contest. We’ll should be proper on to get the win.”
