ASIDE from backing Lachie Neale in last year's Grand Final, Chris Fagan is facing one of the toughest selection decisions of his 10 years at the Lions in the coming week.

Co-captain Hugh McCluggage is expected to overcome the latest of his calf injuries and be available to face Sydney in Saturday week's qualifying final at the SCG.

This means Fagan and his match committee will need to omit someone from the team that belted Collingwood by 63 points last Friday night.

As Lions have returned from injury throughout 2026, there's often been an inexperienced player that has made way for a more proven member of the team.

That's not the case this time.

Let's have a look at the candidates – as unlikely as some may be - that Fagan could consider leaving out of his 23 to accommodate the return of McCluggage.

There's no easy answer, and one player is going to be extremely unlucky to be omitted at a time of the year you don't want to be unlucky.

Oscar Allen or Eric Hipwood
The consensus among pundits is that one of the tall forwards will make way. Fagan himself said that wouldn't be happening. Since Allen, Hipwood and Morris have teamed up as a trio in the past three weeks, the Lions have been unstoppable, flogging Hawthorn, Gold Coast and Collingwood. They play three distinctly different roles and have been carrying them out to perfection. Scrap this as an option.

Darcy Gardiner or Ty Gallop
This is the most likely option. The Lions rushed Gallop back into the 23 following his three-match suspension, leaving them with four backline players over 190cm – Gallop, Gardiner, Ryan Lester and Harris Andrews. Although the Lions will rightly argue Gardiner and Lester can play equally well on smaller players as they can on taller, there's an imbalance to the mix, particularly against a Sydney outfit that will likely rely on its smalls. Then the question is, do you leave out the veteran Gardiner (Brisbane almost never leaves out its proven players) or the younger, high upside, but still proving himself, Gallop? That's what this decision will come down to.

Darcy Fort
An unlikely option, but one that could be considered. With three tall forwards and No.1 ruck Sam Draper already there, marking options in the front half of the ground is not an issue. The Lions could certainly ask Draper to shoulder more of the ruck load on his own if needed. However, Fort has proved the perfect sidekick to the Essendon recruit, with the pair sharing the duties evenly over the season, and in the process, keeping one another fresher to have a greater impact when they're on-ball. Brisbane has successfully used the two rucks all season and won't be changing now.

Jarrod Berry or Levi Ashcroft
This one is a genuine ping at the stumps from the outfield. Berry and Ashcroft have been included here as a potential 'like for like' swap for McCluggage. Both play on the wing and it wouldn't be a difficult shuffle to move one out for the co-captain. This won't be happening, though. Berry is not only a much-loved teammate, but one of the best and most reliable wings in the competition with his hard-running, contested ball winning and willingness to charge back and help defenders. Ashcroft has improved dramatically this season and been an excellent on-ball and half-forward rotation when called upon.