BRISBANE'S Gabba fortress suddenly has a welcome mat at the front door.
For so long the Lions were almost unbeatable at their home ground, but since the start of 2024, opponents have walked away with four premiership points more often than you may think.
It's why Collingwood, who has won its past two matches at the Gabba, will enter Thursday night's blockbuster without any fear.
From 2019, when Chris Fagan's team made a dramatic rise up the ladder, until 2023, the Lions almost never lost at the 'Gabbatoir'.
In total they won 53 of 61 matches in that period, including 49 of 53 in the home and away portion of the season.
However, since the moment Carlton ran down a 44-point deficit in Opening Round of 2024 to snatch victory, the hosts have been vulnerable.
In Brisbane's past 25 home matches, they've lost nine, more than the previous five seasons together.
Carlton, Collingwood (twice), Geelong, Greater Western Sydney (twice), Melbourne, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs have all had success.
In 2024 the Lions went 8-4 and did the same again last season before losing to the Bulldogs in Opening Round to open 2026.
Fagan has a theory on why the venue is no longer as impenetrable as it once was.
"That's probably a reflection of the fact when we dominated for a few years there, I think teams didn’t take us all that seriously, and we were on the rise," he said.
"I think now when teams come here, they know we're a decent footy club and team, so they set themselves for this task.
"We're aware of that, but that just makes it a little harder to win those games.
"We've got to be more on the job and not think the home ground advantage is going to help us at all."
Although the winning percentage has dropped from 87 (2019-2023) to 64 (2024-current), the Lions have shown when they really need to step it up, they do.
They're 2-0 in do-or-die finals against Carlton and Gold Coast the past two years, and the must-win final round against Hawthorn to lock up a top four spot last season also brought out their best football with a victory.
One nugget the loser of Easter Thursday can cling to is the team that has lost this contest in the past three seasons has gone on to win the premiership.
Brisbane's home record
2019 – 10-3
2020 – 11-1
2021 – 9-2
2022 – 10-2
2023 – 13-0
2024 – 8-4
2025 – 8-4
2026 – 0-1
