Two-time Brisbane premiership player Beau McDonald says taking on Geelong this weekend is no ‘mean feat’, but believes Brisbane’s youth can provide them with the spark needed to take them on.
Brisbane’s hand was forced to play a number of young players this season due to ACL injuries running rife among its more experienced players – including Darcy Gardiner, Keidean Coleman, Tom Doedee and Lincoln McCarthy.
The younger players brought into the side are spearheading Brisbane’s 2024 finals campaign as the club strives to go one better than last year’s result and win their first flag in 20 years.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Preliminary Final, McDonald says the forced transition into a younger side has provided a spark in the group, with them having meaningful contributions to the onfield dynamics.
“The best part of this year is the team is a little bit different,” he told SportFM.
“We’ve had a few young fellas come in. Morris, Lohman, Fletcher, also Will Ashcroft and they’re not just existing out there, they’re playing major roles in the team really well.
“There’s been a little bit of a change, I suppose, within the group and that always brings enthusiasm to the older guys.
“Over the last five or six years, they’ve been through pretty much every situation you can go through as a team, except for winning the grand final.
“They’ve experienced a lot of ups and downs and they’ve done it together. It just puts you in good stead when you get to this time of year.”
The Lions overcame a 44-point deficit against GWS last weekend at Engie Stadium and are now preparing to take on a firing Geelong outfit at the MCG.
Heroics from Joe Daniher in the dying moments booked their ticket in the preliminary final, taking them to a 5-point win.
Son-of-a-gun Will Ashcroft played an instrumental role in the middle with dual-Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale taken out of the equation by tagger Toby Bedford.
In his second AFL finals appearance Ashcroft registered 27 disposals, nine clearances and stood up in the final quarter when Neale’s output was restricted.
McDonald, who also played with father Marcus Ashcroft, had plenty of praise for the 20-year-old’s performance.
“He is a terrific player, just his ability to think really quickly and how quickly he can use the ball by hand. He’s also really clean and he stays on his feet when he needs to,” he said.
“He’s just going to be a terrific asset to the side over the next few years as well. A little bit different sort of player to his dad chompers.
“A little bit of a different type of player, but just really exciting to see his young fella in the midfield and playing well in finals.”
As fate should have it, if both Brisbane and Port Adelaide, who takes on Sydney on Friday night, make the Grand Final, it marks 20-years since the two sides met in the 2004 grand final.
However, Brisbane head into Saturday night’s match as underdogs, with Geelong the favourites to book the second slot in the Grand Final.
“You have to be in the mix and go into the MCG to take on Geelong is no mean feat at all,” said McDonald.
“It’s a big task to go down there.
“When they can move the ball fast and get it going and get it in quick, Brisbane just looks super dangerous every time they do it.”
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