SUMMARY

Brisbane could not be better placed to break its drought over premier Richmond, coming into the finals on the back of a seven-game winning streak. However, all the pressure will be on the home team, trying to not only learn the harsh lessons from a straight games' finals exit last year, but also snap a 15-game losing streak to the Tigers. This is a rematch of last year's qualifying final, won handsomely by Richmond. 

WHERE AND WHEN: the Gabba, Friday October 2, 7.50pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide  

WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR?

Round 10: Richmond 12.10 (82) d Brisbane 4.17 (41)
As the scoreline suggests, the Lions were guilty of frittering away chances in front of goal and the Tigers did not need a second invitation. Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch kicked seven goals between them and Dustin Martin and Shai Bolton were prolific midfield performers as the premier punished a wasteful Brisbane for the second straight time. 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Brisbane
Although it preaches team defence, someone has to be responsible for Dustin Martin when he goes forward. The dual Norm Smith medallist ripped the corresponding game apart with six goals last year and has often feasted against the Lions. Darcy Gardiner, or more likely Brandon Starcevich, should get the nod there. Brisbane will not want to get caught up in Richmond's helter-skelter style, so don't be surprised if they slow the ball movement down, particularly if it concedes successive goals. 

Richmond
The Tigers have killed their counterparts on turnover the past couple of matches, taking advantage of a Lions' defensive unit that really tries to compress the ground. Any turnover is countered by two to three forward handballs into the corridor and away the Tigers go. Noah Balta may be the least experienced of the key backline players, but he kept Eric Hipwood to just six disposals in round 10, so watch for him to get the initial match-up against the Lions spearhead. 

WHAT THE STATS SAY 

1. Richmond has the perfect record at the Gabba in the past decade – 7-0 against the Lions and 9-0 overall (including wins over Sydney and Gold Coast this season). Its average winning margin over that stretch has been 39 points a game.

2. The Tigers don't care too much for clearances. They are ranked 17th in the competition for clearance differential and 16th for scores from stoppages. They do however score more points than any other team from turnovers.

3. When Brisbane kicks the ball inside its forward 50 it wants Dayne Zorko doing so. The Lions retain the ball 62.5 percent of the time and take a mark 31.3 percent of the time when their skipper does so – ranking No.1 in both measures of the top 50 players for total kicks into the forward 50.

4. Nick Vlastuin is a Tiger to keep an eye on. Vlastuin won a tick over seven intercept possessions a game this season, third in the competition, and just more than three intercept marks a game, good enough for fourth in the AFL.

5. Former No.1 draft pick Cam Rayner comes into these finals as the biggest improving Lion over the past month. Rayner has gone from an average of 6.2 AFL Player Ratings points a game in the first 13 matches to 10.1 over the past four.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …

Brisbane
Brisbane doesn't need him to have a big game to win, but success for Charlie Cameron against the Tigers – a team he has battled with – would give the home team a huge lift. Like many of his teammates, goalkicking has let the 2019 All Australian down against the Tigers in recent meetings. 

Richmond
Perhaps more the icing on the cake, but it's a big ask that your first game since round five is a qualifying final, however, that's what Dion Prestia faces after recovering from his syndesmosis injury. If anyone can handle it though, it's the super-fit midfield dynamo who won the Tigers' best and fairest in 2019. 

PREDICTION: Richmond by 11 points. A proven record of pressuring for longer and taking its chances.

START your engines, Brisbane is off to a preliminary final.

Revved up by a scintillating performance from Charlie Cameron, the Lions have motored to the final four with a 15-point win over Richmond in their qualifying final clash. 

LIONS V TIGERS Full match coverage and stats

The 10.9 (69) to 8.6 (54) win was significant in so many ways. It ended a 15-game losing streak to the Tigers and an 11-year drought without a finals win, and sees the Lions progress to a preliminary final berth for the first time since 2004.

But it also put them a step closer to booking a spot in this year's historic Grand Final decider at the Gabba, an advantage that was evident on Friday night as they rocked the reigning premiers with a dominant display.

A year since their nervous and inefficient qualifying final loss to the Tigers, the Lions this time were a side who kept their destiny in their own hands. In the space of 12 months Chris Fagan's men had gone from raw to roar, drawing on their Lions pride in the stands to give them the edge.

OLDER, TOUGHER, WISER Mental strength key to Lions' breakthrough

The Brisbane machine got things started in the midfield, where Hugh McCluggage (20 disposals) put in a brilliant game on the wing, Jarryd Lyons (27) took on the star-studded Richmond brigade and was the best clearance player on the ground and Jarrod Berry didn't take a backward step. Daniel Rich, too, was terrific off half-back with 20 touches. 

THINGS WE LEARNED Brain fades cost Tigers, Charlie breaks hoodoo

But they were also well served by a (largely) accurate forward line sparked by Cameron's brilliance, with the Lions star booting three pivotal goals.

Cameron is the Lions' maverick – their agent of artistry – but their credentials lie in the fact they don't have a weak link. This time, and for the first time in a final since 2018, the Tigers had no answer. 

Richmond, who will play the winner of Saturday's elimination final between St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs next week, were served well by Dion Prestia (20 disposals) in his first game since round five, while Dustin Martin started in the sort of form you expect from him in a final but faded. 

The Lions got the early jump with a goal inside the first 30 seconds from long range via Rich, and it set the tone for a frenetic opening quarter. 

The sides traded goals – an on-the-run bomb from Liam Baker and curling left-foot snap from Trent Cotchin the highlights – before the Tigers took a six-point lead into the first change.

But the Lions struck back in the second. The home side booted four goals to one for the quarter to take a 13-point lead into the main break. Three of the goals came in the final five minutes of the half, first a brilliant bomb from Cam Rayner, then an exhilarating crumb from Cameron.

Then, with only seconds left on the clock before half-time, Richmond gave up back-to-back 50-metre penalties to Lachie Neale, who slotted a team-lifting and crowd-inspiring shot from outside 50.

DIMMA'S LAMENT 'Angry' Tigers need to be better

It was an inauspicious start from the Brownlow Medal favourite, who went without a disposal in the first quarter, before he tallied eight disposals in a busy second term. 

Some more magic between Rayner and Cameron helped the Lions extend their lead to 21 points by three quarter-time, with Brisbane missing some gettable shots late in the term that could have all but sealed the win. 

Some nervous moments ensued, as Richmond got back within eight points, but a classy McCluggage snap in the last three minutes sent Brisbane through.  

BRISBANE      3.1       7.2       9.6     10.9 (69)
RICHMOND    4.1       5.1       6.3      8.6 (54)

GOALS
Brisbane: Cameron 3, Bailey, McCluggage, McInerney, McStay, Neale, Rayner, Rich 
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Rioli 2, Baker, Castagna, Cotchin, McIntosh

BEST
Brisbane: McCluggage, Rich, Cameron, Lyons, Neale, Zorko
Richmond: Prestia, Short, Lambert, Cotchin, Martin 

INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Richmond: Nil