Presenting all you need to know about the Lions ahead of the big Sunday evening clash at the Gabba

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The Lions started the season with a 25-point loss to St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, then went down to Melbourne by 26 points in a round two clash at the Gabba. They gave Port Adelaide an almighty fright at the Adelaide Oval in round three, losing by just five points, but a week later they suffered a 93-point mauling from Richmond. They have been much more competitive in the past two rounds, going down to Gold Coast by five points in round five and Greater Western Sydney by 34 points in round six. A key issue for the Lions has been their goalkicking. Not including shots out of bounds, Brisbane has converted just 46 per cent of its shots at goal in 2018. The Lions kicked 5.13 against the Giants last weekend.

What they're saying
“Whilst we’re not getting the wins at the moment, we’re getting those little instrumental wins to become a better footy team and hopefully down the track this year and into the future that will pay dividends. We’ve played some really good teams and lost a couple of games by five points. From the perspective of a coaching and playing group, we’re a much-improved team. Defensively, for example, last year we conceded about 116 points a game, right now we’re conceding 94. So that’s a three and a half goal improvement in a short space of time.” - Lions coach Chris Fagan on RadioTAB on Monday

Injury/suspension list
The Lions' squad is a picture of health. Their only missing player of note is Nick Robertson, who is serving a one-game suspension for striking Giants player Harrison Himmelberg last weekend.

Players to watch
Our old mate Dayne Beams (29 disposals, eight marks, one goal) was the Lions' best player against the Giants last weekend, while fellow midfielder Mitch Robinson (28 touches, six tackles) was also in the thick of the action. Ruckman Stefan Martin has been in sensational form all season.

The Lions will also field a debutant player who has come the long way to the AFL. Matt Eagles, a 200cm giant who was the winner of season two of Foxtel's reality program 'The Recruit', will play his first game at the highest level at the age of 28 after some dominant performances in the NEAFL. "The dream has come true for him. It's come true because he's worked hard," Fagan said on Friday.

The Lions' 28-year-old recruit Matt Eagles, who will make his AFL debut against Collingwood on Sunday (AFL Photos)

Last time: Round 10, 2017 at the MCG
Match report excerpt: The innacuracy that has plagued Collingwood this season returned on Sunday afternoon, but a spirited Brisbane Lions team was unable to take advantage as the Magpies won a scrappy clash by 45 points at the MCG.

For the first six rounds of the season the Magpies kicked more behinds than goals, and they relapsed in a calamitous third quarter that gave the Lions a sniff in a match they had never looked like winning.

Just 10 points separated the teams deep in the third quarter, but the Magpies were too strong and experienced, settling in the final term to kick seven of the last 10 goals and win 18.21 (129) to 13.6 (84).

As poor as the Magpies' goalkicking was, their midfield was dominant and Nathan Buckley can thank Scott Pendlebury and co. for delivering back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

The important win keeps Collingwood in touch with the mid-table logjam, taking their record to 4-6 in an up-and-down campaign that seems to only ever be one big loss away from crisis.

COLLINGWOOD          5.5       9.10     11.16   18.21 (129)
BRISBANE LIONS        4.3       6.3       10.6     13.6 (84)

GOALS

Collingwood: Elliott 4, Moore 3, Fasolo 2, Wells 2, Treloar, Sidebottom, Smith, Maynard, Dunn, Broomhead, Adams
Brisbane Lions: Beams 3, Zorko 2, Cutler, Smith, Hammelmann, Rich, Barrett, Berry, Mathieson, Hipwood

BEST 

Collingwood: Pendlebury ,Treloar, Sidebottom, Adams, Elliott, Grundy
Brisbane Lions: Beams, Zorko, Barrett, Paparone, Mayes, McCluggage

INJURIES 

Collingwood: Moore (right shin)
Brisbane Lions: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: O'Gorman, Stephens, Chamberlain

Official crowd: 32,750 at the MCG

Lynden Dunn celebrates last year's win over Brisbane with his teammates while wearing a Lions jumper (AFL Photos)

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