Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has urged his gamers to not give attention to ladder positions or the fixture because the race for a top-two berth heats up.
The Lions rebounded from their shock 41-point loss to Gold Coast with a combating three-point win over Fremantle in Perth on Sunday.
The triumph lifted third-placed Brisbane (14-6) to inside 1.1 per cent of second-placed Melbourne (14-6) with solely three rounds remaining.
Port Adelaide (14-6) have dropped to fourth on the again of a four-match shedding streak.
Brisbane host Adelaide on the Gabba on Saturday, earlier than rounding out their common season in opposition to flag favourites Collingwood at Marvel Stadium and St Kilda on the Gabba.
A high two end would assure the Lions two dwelling finals – one among which might doubtlessly be a preliminary closing – however Fagan would not wish to suppose too far forward.
“We clearly want to finish as high on the ladder as we can,” Fagan stated.
“We’ve won, and Melbourne won by a bit more, so they’ve just jumped above us. But that’s OK.
“In this recreation, we’re simply making an attempt to complete high 4.
“If you can get top two, that’s great, but it’s not the be all and end all because the new season begins when you get to finals.”
Fagan felt the discuss of ladder positions might need distracted his group earlier than the upset loss to Gold Coast.
“We talked about it (on Saturday) in our team meeting the idea that we just didn’t want to talk about the ladder or who’s playing who,” Fagan stated.
“We felt like maybe last week we did that a little bit.
“We simply wish to keep within the second and play every recreation because it comes alongside.
“Next week we’ve got Adelaide, still a sneaky (finals) chance. So they’re going to come to the Gabba and try and play their best footy.
“We’ve bought Collingwood the week after that, after which the Saints within the final recreation.
“So that doesn’t get any easier. But they’re all good challenges. You’d rather have those sorts of games coming into finals than that not.”
Fagan expects ruckman Oscar McInerney (ankle) and defender Keidean Coleman (eye) to return in opposition to the Crows.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
