"This time last year, Dayne Zorko collapsed to the ground like Sergeant Elias in Platoon. Twenty minutes later he was in the rooms, firing out XXXX cans from the esky, like Greg Williams from the bottom of a pack. By that point Chris Fagan had already been in his players' ears be humble, stay fit, don't come back heavy the way Hawthorn did in 2008, and don't squander the opportunity to build on this success."
"The Lions were 13th, had won two from seven, and had just been smacked by GWS in Canberra. Weighed down by the ongoing Hawthorn racism allegations, Fagan was having health problems and had asked the club for several weeks off. Against Gold Coast in round eight, they lost Brandon Starcevich in the warm-up. Lincoln McCarthy, a popular and talented forward, ruptured his ACL. An hour later, Darcy Gardiner wrecked his knee as well, the fifth player on the list to do so."
Brisbane recovered from a midseason slump, heavy injuries and off-field controversy to win consecutive premierships. Early 2024 left the team 13th after two wins from seven amid Hawthorn racism allegations and a coaching health break. Round eight brought multiple injuries, including Brandon Starcevich in the warm-up, Lincoln McCarthy's ACL and Darcy Gardiner's knee, yet Brisbane beat Gold Coast and launched a turnaround. The reigning premiers faced a tough draw with multiple double-ups, inconsistent patches and a precarious August, but they produced decisive late-season and finals performances to claim back-to-back titles.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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