Brisbane have named star spearhead Joe Daniher at fullback for Saturday's high-stakes QClash at People First Stadium, but Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick isn't falling for it.
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The Lions enter the match missing three important key defenders with injuries to Harris Andrews (concussion) and Darragh Joyce (jaw) in last week's win against Sydney compounding the previous loss of Jack Payne (foot).
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has already hinted one of his established forwards will play in defence this week, and eyebrows were raised when Daniher was named at fullback on Thursday evening.
But Hardwick isn't buying into what Brisbane's team sheet looks like, with his intel suggesting it will be Eric Hipwood who ends up taking on the key defensive post.
"We don't look at the paper names," Hardwick told reporters on Friday.
"I still remember a great story - Matthew Richardson's dad was complaining that he was always named in the forward pocket: 'son you're a centre half-forward, why do they keep naming you in the forward pocket?'
"The famous Bull Richardson there.
"We know Hipwood trained back. He was drafted as a back funnily enough. He's played there at various stages.
"AFL level is obviously different, but he's got a pretty experienced back six or seven that will be able to help him."
Seven wins on the trot have rocketed Brisbane (11-6-1) into third spot, while 12th-placed Gold Coast (9-9) face an uphill battle to make the finals.
The Suns are expecting Saturday's match to be a sellout and are keen to keep their perfect 2024 home record intact.
"This side is on a journey that I think is going to be pretty special ... and the more people we get behind us the better," Hardwick said.
"Like Kevin Costner said, 'We'll build it and they'll come'. We've just got to fulfil our end of the bargain."
Part of that bargain is making the most of chances in front of goal, with Hardwick left to rue Gold Coast's 6.14 and other shots that failed to register a score in last week's 39-point loss to GWS.
"Last week against GWS we had 29 shots on goal - certainly enough to win the game," Hardwick said.
"I think over the last four weeks we're 18th in goal conversion from a scoring perspective, so we've got some work to do there."
Former Suns coach Stuart Dew is now a part-time skills coach at Brisbane, but the Lions haven't been badgering him for intel in the lead-up to Saturday's match.
"We didn't pepper him with questions about the Suns because they've got a new coach now and they play a different way," Fagan said.
"So information like that becomes quite irrelevant very quickly in AFL footy."
The Marcus Ashcroft Medal - named after the three-time Lions premiership winner - is awarded to the player judged best afield in the QClash.
Aschroft's son - rising Brisbane star Will Ashcroft - would love to take home the award.
"It's something I've always dreamed of doing," Ashcroft said.
"It would be an honour and a pretty cool moment for our family if it was to happen at some point."
Australian Associated Press
