Are we sure Brisbane is a lock to play finals?
This is not a proclamation. It’s not even a prediction. It’s merely a question to ponder.
The COVID/injury bus hit them hard on Sunday, leading to one of the upsets of the season when Essendon got the better of them at the Gabba.
And the Bombers should have won by much more than just 10 points. A good team would have trounced the lethargic Lions.
Brisbane lost Harris Andrews, Callum Ah Chee, Dan McStay, Noah Answerth and Keidean Coleman to Health and Safety Protocols, as well as Dayne Zorko, Daniel Rich, Jarrod Berry and Jaxon Prior to injuries.
It could simply be a one-week anomaly, but everything we know about COVID, and with the number of players involved, there’s obviously a possibility that it lingers.
They currently sit 4th with 11 wins and a healthy percentage. Two more wins should be enough to lock them in.
And there’s probably a 95 per cent chance they find at least two from here.
They play a GWS side that looked hapless against the Power in Sydney next weekend.
But after making nine changes, with a COVID outbreak lingering, coming off a six-day break, and an interstate trip? This is the dictionary definition of a danger game.
It’s also the only “easy” fixture left in front of them.
From there, Brisbane faces Gold Coast, Richmond (away), Carlton, St Kilda (away) and Melbourne.
The Suns and Saints will be playing with do-or-die energy. The rest will present genuine challenges of their own.
We know COVID tends to linger around clubs. And players rarely snap back to their best. It will be something to monitor closely this week. As will their growing injury list.
If they remain heavily impacted, and the Giants pinch an unexpected win, then suddenly Brisbane faces a gauntlet of teams all scratching and clawing for their finals hopes.
13 wins. It’s the magical number. Gold Coast is suddenly alive. St Kilda is hanging by a thread. There are doubts over the Tigers. Collingwood, Sydney and Carlton are firming as likely finalists.
The Lions being picked apart by Essendon was probably an aberration. It likely won’t matter greatly come September.
Or maybe the Lions are in for a few difficult weeks greatly impacted by illness followed by an onslaught of tough matchups.
What we know is nothing is certain in footy, especially in the final few weeks of a season.
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