Skip says Lions not home yet
BRISBANE captain Dayne Zorko has hit back at suggestions the Lions have a distinct advantage in the battle for this year’s AFL flag despite Queensland being the unofficial home of the 2020 premiership.
The second-placed Lions have played just three of their 12 matches interstate, with a host of their away games having taken place at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast.
Lions players have also been able to go home each night, while Victorian clubs have been forced to spend almost the entire season in interstate hubs.
But Zorko said the Lions had also paid their dues in ensuring the season was completed despite the constant threat of COVID-19.
“We’ve played 12 games, we’ve had seven away, four of them have been at Metricon,” he said. “They require a bus trip down (the Gold Coast), back and forth, we get home at 1am, just like most teams do.
“It’s an interesting perception. People are paid to talk. I’m happy for them to keep talking the way they have been. We know what we need to focus on inside our four walls. To date, thus far in the season, we’ve been able to do that.”
Zorko also defended the Lions’ patchy performance in their one-point weekend win over North Melbourne.
The victory at Metricon
Stadium came after a full week’s break following a period in which Brisbane played four games within a fortnight.
“We probably were a little bit lethargic at times,” Zorko said.
“We probably got a little bit too lazy, but talking to the experts and our dietitians, it’s expected when you have such a high period there of four games in 14 days, to then have seven days off, you will hit a little bit of a flat spot.
“The review was pretty short. You’ve just got to win games sometimes and that’s what we were able to do.”
The Lions are on another lengthy break before they host St Kilda at the Gabba on Sunday.
“These seven-day, eightday breaks, I don’t really like too much,” Zorko said. “I enjoyed getting the games coming around really quickly ... I’m employed to play football, I love playing football.”
Zorko liked the idea suggested on Fox Footy’s On The Couch by former Lions skipper Jonathan Brown, who called for next year’s schedule to include a “festival” of nightly matches during the school holidays.
“I’d be keen for that. Providing players are well and fit, which they have been this time around, I can’t see why it couldn’t happen down the future.
“It gives footy lovers an opportunity to watch footy every night, which I think is great.”