GEELONG CATS vs. BRISBANE LIONS

Round 2, 12:10pm, Sunday March 30 at The Gabba

Brisbane caused one of the upsets of the season last year when they hosted Geelong at the Gabba. The Cats lead by 52 points late in the third term before conceding 10 of the next 11 goals. In his 200th game, Lion Ashley McGrath kicked a goal after the siren to secure a stunning underdog victory. The Cats will hope that they can celebrate the 200 game milestone of defender Andrew Mackie with just as much ceremony and excitement. Geelong make a special effort to recognise the service that veteran players have given to the club. Drafted in 2002, Mackie played in the forward line and on the wing in his early career before settling at half back. He is an attacking, rebounding defender who is regularly outsized by his opponents but never outmatched. Last season he was selected in the All Australian side for the first time, a fitting individual honour to accompany his three premiership medals.

LAST TIME THEY MET
Geelong   15-22-112
Brisbane  17-9-111

In the final home and away fixture the Lions travelled to Geelong, who held off the visitors by the most slender margin. For the second time that year Brisbane were given no hope of toppling the Cats and they almost achieved a second win over their higher placed opponents. Ashley McGrath was the best of the Lions, kicking six goals, but it was the fingertips of Paul Chapman that ultimately decided the match, denying Brisbane the winning goal with five seconds left in the game.  

KEY MATCH UPS

Hamish McIntosh vs. Trent West
McIntosh and West spent a year on the same list without ever stepping onto the same AFL ground together. On Sunday the former teammates will be rivals, duelling at centre bounces and stoppages around the ground. McIntosh made an impressive debut for Geelong in the opening round, running the game out strongly despite his interrupted preparation and the long break since his previous AFL appearance. He kicked a sensational running goal from the 50m arc with his first kick in the blue and white hoops and sacrificed another late in the game, but will have to be just as effective defensively against West, who scored three goals in a brilliant debut with Brisbane.

Mitch Duncan vs. Daniel Rich
Mitch Duncan has missed less than half a dozen games over the past three years and has steadily developed into an impressive young footballer. He was recently elevated into the Geelong leadership group, a reflection of his consistent on-field performance and his standing within the football club. Duncan started his career as a half forward and has gradually improved his strength and endurance to play a bigger role in the midfield. He has the ability to score goals from long range, as does his opponent Daniel Rich. Rich burst onto the AFL scene, possessing a thumping long kick and the physical build to move immediately into the Brisbane midfield, earning himself the 2009 Rising Star award. New Lions coach Justin Leppitsch has prepared Rich to spend more time on a half back flank, a positional ploy he tried last week against the Hawks. Duncan and Rich will likely clash in the centre of the ground but the player who can be most effective around the Geelong half forward line will have the most impact on the outcome of the game.       

DID YOU KNOW?
Geelong kicked six unanswered goals in the last quarter against the Crows but have been on the wrong end of final term momentum swings in their past two clashes with Brisbane. In the final match of the 2013 home and away season the Lions scored six last quarter goals, and managed to kick eight goals to the Cats’ one in their midseason comeback victory at the Gabba.