2008 AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON: ROUND 9
Brisbane Lions (4-4, 8th – 104.4%) v St Kilda Saints (4-4, 9th – 96.2%)
Sunday 25 May 2008
The Gabba @ 1:10pm (local time)
Indigenous Curtain Raiser One:
Indigenous Girls Invitational v Narangba Valley SHS Vipers
9:30am – 10:30am (10 minute quarters)
Indigenous Curtain Raiser Two:
Djarragun Indigenous College v St Peter’s Lutheran College
10:45am – 12:20pm (15 minute quarters)
12:52 – 12:56pm: Welcome To Country: Traditional Aboriginal ceremony where a representative of the local tribe welcomes teams to their traditional land – performed by Auntie Valda Coolwell.
MC: Former St Kilda (1991 – 1993) and Brisbane Bears (1994 – 1996) player Gilbert McAdam.
Senior Match – Half-Time: Features 96 x AFL Indigenous Auskick participants from eight remote and rural QLD regions including Cape York. (NB: 8 regions x 12 participants from each region).
2008 AFLQ STATE LEAGUE SEASON: ROUND 8
Suncoast Lions (3-3-1, 5th) v Morningside (4-3, 4th)
Saturday 24 May 2008
Giffin Park, Birubi Street, Coorparoo @ 2:10pm (local time)
PUBLIC TRAINING SESSIONS
Wednesday 21 May: Giffin Park, Birubi Street, Coorparoo @ 3:00pm
Friday 23 May: The Gabba @ 1:00pm. Entry is via Gate 2 from 12:15pm
CURRENT INJURY LIST
Patrick Garner (Hamstring) – Available
Wayde Mills (Knee) – Available
Matthew Tyler (Back/Hamstring) – Test
Nigel Lappin (Achilles) – 2 weeks
Sam Sheldon (Groin) – 2-3 weeks
Colm Begley (Quad) – 3-4 weeks
Pearce Hanley (Hamstring) – 4-6 weeks
Matthew Moody (Groin) – Indefinite
2008 AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON: ROUND 9, HEAD TO HEAD
The Lions have won 13 of their 20 matches against St Kilda for a winning percentage of 65%.
LAST THREE YEARS
2005: Round 1 - W - 18.8 (116) to 13.15 (93) @ Gabba (N) (won by 23pts)
2005: Round 22 - L - 7.5 (47) to 28.18 (186) @ TD (N) (lost by 139pts)
2006: Round 3 - L - 12.15 (87) to 19.10 (124) @ TD (N) (lost by 37pts)
2006: Round 22 - L - 7.15 (57) to 16.12 (108) @ Gabba (N) (lost by 51pts)
2007: Round 2 - W - 15.12 (102) to 7.8 (50) @ Gabba (N) (won by 52pts)
MILESTONES
Joel Macdonald is set to play his 50th AFL match this Sunday against St Kilda at the Gabba. Macdonald was elevated to the Lions’ senior list in 2004 after being selected with Pick No.70 in the 2003 Rookie Draft. The Queenslander becomes the fourth Lions player this season to reach the 50-game milestone.
23 year-old Macdonald is in career-best form averaging almost 22 disposals and more than six marks per game this season. He currently leads the Club in total marks this season with 50 and is behind only co-captains Simon Black and Luke Power at the Club for total possessions. He also leads the Lions in rebounds from 50 metres and running bounces.
AFTER THE SIREN
Lions members and supporters can grab photos and autographs with the players after this Sunday’s afternoon match against St Kilda in a special on-field signing session commencing around 4:30pm. The After The Siren event will form part of the post-match Vodafone Entertainment Quarter which also includes the traditional ‘Kick-to-Kick’ on the Gabba.
All patrons will be entertained during this After The Siren event with scoreboard replays, a live band, handball competition, coaching clinic and skill drills – all thanks to Vodafone. There will be a ‘kids safe zone’ too where parents and kids can interact without the distraction of more competitive adults. Mascot Bernie ‘Gabba’ Vegas will also be there.
Vodafone customers can now collect mini-football shaped Sports Ears personal radio headsets to tune into Triple M’s expert Lions match coverage upon arrival at the game from the Vodafone marquee situated in the Gabba’s Gate 2 parklands.
FAST FOOTY FACTS
Co-captain Jonathan Brown has only played in two of the Lions’ past five matches against St Kilda.
Ashley McGrath collected a career-high 18 disposals during last Saturday night’s win over Carlton.
Prior to defeating the Saints by 52 points in Round 2 last season, the Lions had lost their previous three regular season matches against St Kilda by an average of 76 points.
St Kilda goal sneak Stephen Milne holds the record for most goals kicked by an individual against the Club when he booted a career-best 11 goals against the Lions in Round 22 of 2005 at Telstra Dome.
The Lions have not won consecutive matches since they won five matches in a row from Rounds 14-18 last season.
Only Geelong (448), the Western Bulldogs (442) and Collingwood (430) have recorded more Inside 50s than the Lions (424) this season.
The Lions’ current 4-4 record is identical to their win-loss ratio at the end of Round 8 last season.
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Lions supplied a fitting farewell to retired skipper Michael Voss as the team rekindled memories of its glory years with a dominant display against the highly rated St Kilda at the Gabba.
The Lions took control after quarter time with Jonathan Brown causing headaches for the Saints up forward. Michael Rischitelli was outstanding at ground level while full back Daniel Merrett held former Coleman Medallist Fraser Gehrig goal-less.
Jared Brennan impressed with great drive from defence while Simon Black continued his great start to the 2007 season with another best-on-ground display.
Brownlow Medal Votes: 3 – S. Black (BL), 2 – M. Rischitelli (BL), 1 – J. Brennan (BL)
