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Sport
Murray Wenzel

'We know the score': Lions on finals test

Chris Fagan says playing well is the only way for Brisbane to answer their AFL finals doubters. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

One and five.

They are two numbers Brisbane coach Chris Fagan is tired of talking about ahead of the Lions' return to the AFL finals against Richmond on Thursday.

But Fagan knows there's only way to move past his side's 1-5 finals record in the last three seasons.

"They're not stupid, the players; they know the record but to be honest I'm sort of sick of it," he told reporters ahead of Thursday's elimination final at the sold-out Gabba.

"I've said 1000 times; the only way we can answer that question is to go out and play well and win.

"If we win, people stop talking about. If we lose it'll be one win and six losses. We know the score."

Brisbane's task is daunting though, against a resurgent Tigers who have stormed into seventh and will likely welcome back superstar Dustin Martin.

The Lions have limped into sixth, dominated by defending champions Melbourne in the final round and missing defensive duo Noah Answerth (suspended) and Marcus Adams (concussion) as well as game-breaking midfielder Cam Rayner (suspended).

They also lost to Richmond in their last meeting at the MCG despite holding a 42-point in the second quarter.

Among the fancies in the previous three years, Brisbane enter a fourth-straight finals campaign as the bookies' seventh-favourite to win the flag.

"Maybe it's out of sight out of mind," Fagan mused.

"Maybe it's because we've played six finals and only won one of them.

"Maybe it's because it looks a little bit like our form's dropped away a bit in the second half of the year.

"I'm not so sure. But what I do know is a new season starts tomorrow night and what's happened in the past doesn't really matter."

The Lions' only finals win under Fagan was against the Tigers in 2020, Richmond recovering from that loss to streak to the flag in a Gabba final.

A new-look forward line loaded with roving dangers and boasting twin tall threats Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt presents a different challenge this year.

"The first thing is you've got to try and win the contested ball battle, that's always very important," Fagan said of his plans to blunt Damien Hardwick's many threats.

"You've got to set up your team defence really well and the other thing you've got to do is concentrate yourself on scoring, which we're pretty good at ourselves too.

"We've got a similar threat for them as they do for us."

Brisbane could debut 18-year-old Darcy Wilmot to replace Answerth but Fagan wasn't giving anything away before teams are named later on Wednesday.

"Every minute counts in this game," he grinned.

"I don't want Damien Hardwick to know what our team is until he absolutely has to know and I reckon he's pretty much the same with us."

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