Brisbane hope to regain former skipper Dayne Zorko from damage forward of a high-stakes conflict with Richmond.
Zorko has missed the Lions’ previous two wins with a calf challenge, after beforehand serving a one-match suspension.
But with a good turnaround to face finals-hunting Richmond on the Gabba on Thursday night time, coach Chris Fagan hopes Zorko may also help rejuvenate his group.
“Hopeful. I know he had a good running session yesterday and was pain-free, so that’s a good sign,” Fagan stated after Friday night time’s 12.12 (84) to eight.8 (56) win over St Kilda.
“So we’ll see where he’s at on Thursday night – it might be good to have a couple of fresh people in, given that we haven’t got too long a turnaround.
“Richmond have been in excellent type so we’ll must be on our greatest type subsequent week.
“They’ve got a really good chance to push their way into the eight, so it’s another high-stakes game.
“I’m certain our gamers shall be actually motivated, they had been actually motivated tonight.
Jack Gunston and Daniel Rich are two weeks right into a coaching block after they had been dropped, and are not in competition to return.
“They’re both looking better for it. I think I’m a reasonable judge,” Fagan stated.
“It’ll be a week or two before maybe they’ll come back into playing. I just need to chat to them about that because we’re sort of working this out together as we go along.”
“I always thought it was going to be around a month, I suppose, in my own mind.
“But simply once more, it is extra me chatting to them and seeing the place they’re at or whether or not they assume they could want half a sport within the reserves simply to regularly construct up.”
Fagan couldn’t pin down why Marvel Stadium has proved a far happier hunting ground than the MCG, but indicated he’d like Brisbane to play at the latter more.
“It helps you when you play on the MCG – it is a distinctive form of oval,” he stated.
“We’ve had one sport there.
“I’m looking forward, and we’re all looking forward, to more opportunities to play at the MCG – we did win a final there last year. So I can’t see any reason why we can’t do well there.
“We’ve performed now eight video games on the highway and 6 on the Gabba. We’re 4 and 4 on the highway, which isn’t a foul highway report.
“There’s some mantra about we’re not much of a team on the road but but if you’re 50 per cent on the road, you’re actually pretty good.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
