IT WILL be season over for one team tonight as Brisbane hosts Richmond in the first match of the 2022 finals series.

Brisbane is looking to reverse their recent unwanted finals record with victory over the Tigers, who themselves are surging late in the premiership race as they eye a fourth flag in six seasons.

The winner will face the loser of Friday night's qualifying final between Melbourne and Sydney, while it will be season over for the loser.

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Brisbane v Richmond at the Gabba, 7.20pm AEST

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MEDICAL SUBS

Brisbane: Callum Ah Chee
Richmond: Shane Edwards

SUMMARY

This is the third time in four years these teams will meet in a final at the Gabba, and just like 2019 and 2020, this match-up of the competition's two highest scoring teams is a tantalising one. The Tigers head north full of confidence, with superstar Dustin Martin likely to return to a team that has won its past four matches. The quick ball movement after forcing turnovers that characterised their three premierships is back, with spearhead Tom Lynch in career-best form and first-time All-Australian Shai Bolton a match-up headache. Brisbane has put together another strong season, but the 58-point hiding from Melbourne in the final round and its 1-5 finals record the past three years hangs over its head entering September. The Lions are missing Cam Rayner and Noah Answerth through suspension and Marcus Adams with concussion, but Chris Fagan's men are a difficult proposition at home and have match-winning weapons on all three lines.

Where and when: The Gabba, Thursday September 1, 7.20pm AEST

WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR? 

Round 20: Richmond 15.14 (104) defeated Brisbane 14.13 (97) at the MCG

The ultimate 'game of two halves', Richmond was able to overturn a 36-point half-time deficit to run over Brisbane and eke out a memorable win in one of the games of the season. Lynch kicked four second-half goals, Noah Cumberland kicked five and Bolton was influential. The Lions played some of their best football of the season for two quarters but couldn't maintain it when the Tiger surge came.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Brisbane
The Lions' intensity around the contest and their forward half pressure is usually a great indicator for them. They have conceded too many points in the second half of the season, with most of the problems stemming from opponents transitioning the ball from their defensive 50 or scoring easily from centre clearances. When Lachie Neale, Jarryd Lyons, Rhys Mathieson, Zac Bailey and Charlie Cameron hunt with intensity in both the midfield and forward, the Lions are extremely difficult to beat.

Richmond
Just like they did to Brisbane in the round 20 comeback, the Tigers love to feast on turnovers. They are prepared to lose the clearance count if it allows them to set up behind the ball, intercept and then take off with Daniel Rioli from half-back and Dion Prestia, Shai Bolton, Marlion Pickett and others spreading quickly to provide options.

THE STATS THAT MATTER

Brisbane
The Lions have got first use of the ball better than any team in the past month, winning centre clearances by an average of six a game. However, the problems have come defensively, where they've conceded an average of 89 points a game since round 15 – ranked 15th in the AFL. Eric Hipwood has kicked four goals in each of his past two outings against the Tigers.

Richmond
The Tigers are back to their intercepting best, scoring 70 points a game from intercepts in the past four weeks, which ranks them second in the League. The headaches come at centre bounce though, where they've conceded the second most points a game, 14, from that source. With 36 goals apiece in home and away matches, Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch have had more goalkicking success than any players in the competition against Brisbane since 2015.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR… 

Brisbane
All eyes will be on captain Dayne Zorko after the furore following his round 23 incident with Melbourne's Harrison Petty. Aside from needing a focused skipper, the Lions really need the energy and spark Zorko provides. He's arguably their best pressure player and a great decision-maker with ball-in-hand and needs to lead his team from the front.

Richmond
The Tigers have match winners all over the field, but perhaps it's Liam Baker that could play the biggest role on Thursday night. Baker looks the most likely option to defend Lions sharpshooter Charlie Cameron, who has made a habit of coming up big in finals. Cameron kicked eight goals in two finals last season and bagged three when the Lions overcame the Tigers in 2020 in the qualifying final.

PREDICTION

Richmond by 12 points. This could genuinely go either way, but the upheaval in Brisbane's defence along with the return of Richmond's punishing of opposition turnovers might just be enough for them to sneak home.

JOE DANIHER is Brisbane's hero.

Following a week of scrutiny around his impact in finals, the lanky forward has piloted the Lions into a semi-final with a last-gasp goal to cap a thrilling victory over Richmond.

With less than 70 seconds remaining and Brisbane trailing by four points, Zac Bailey pumped the ball deep inside 50, and Daniher was on the spot to soccer through the scraps from close range.

LIONS v TIGERS Full match coverage and stats

It was the 17th and final lead change in a remarkable contest played out in front of 35,013 partisan fans.

Brisbane's 16.10 (106) to 16.8 (104) victory – its second finals triumph under Chris Fagan – was full of merit after playing without ruckman Oscar McInerney for almost the entire night.

McInerney was concussed inside three minutes following a head clash with Tiger Jack Ross, forcing Dan McStay into a primary ruck role.

TALKING POINTS The moments that mattered

Richmond had an injury blow of their own, with Dion Prestia subbed out with a hamstring injury late in the second term.

The final stages weren't without controversy, though, with Tom Lynch missing a chance to seal victory for Richmond just moments before Daniher's winner.

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The spearhead had a set shot from close range that was originally signalled a goal by the goal umpire, before it was overturned by the ARC, following a replay that indicated it flicked the post.

Brisbane had heroes everywhere, led by midfield maestro Lachie Neale, whose 39 disposals and 15 clearances willed his team over the line.

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Daniher, Charlie Cameron and Eric Hipwood finished with three goals apiece, while Hugh McCluggage and Zac Bailey played instrumental midfield roles.

Brandon Starcevich did a fantastic job on Tigers wizard Shai Bolton, keeping him to two goals from 10 disposals.

The Lions will now play the loser of Friday night's qualifying final between Melbourne and Sydney.

The early insertion of Callum Ah Chee as the medical sub forced the Lions to alternate Daniher and McStay in the ruck, but despite the setback, the home team stayed in touch throughout the first half.

PROUD COACH Fagan remains grounded after breaking finals drought

It was a battle of Richmond's ability to punish turnovers up against the Lions' force of will from stoppages.

After Daniel Rioli got the scoring underway with a classy set shot from 50m, Hugh McCluggage answered with a set shot as part of his big first quarter.

Richmond repeatedly intercepted the ball in its front half and got out to a 12-point lead following a clever Bolton finish from a free kick.

However, two superb set shots from Hipwood – including one from outside 50m after the siren – levelled the scores at the first change.

The free-flowing contest continued in the second quarter, with the Tigers taking a six-point lead to the main break after kicking five goals to four.

Teenage debutant Darcy Wilmot whipped the crowd into a frenzy when he showed a cool head to guide a set shot home after receiving a 50m penalty, his first career goal.

But Jack Riewoldt, Noah Cumberland and Ross each kicked goals within the space of four minutes to give the visitors the advantage.

BRISBANE     4.3       8.5       13.7     16.10 (106)
RICHMOND   4.3       9.5       14.6     16.8   (104)
 
GOALS  
Brisbane: Cameron 3, Daniher 3, Hipwood 3, Ah Chee, Bailey, McCarthy, McCluggage, McStay, Robertson, Wilmot
Richmond: Lynch 3, Riewoldt 3, Bolton 2, Cotchin, Cumberland, Martin, McIntosh, M.Rioli, D.Rioli, Ross, Sonsie
 
BEST  
Brisbane: Neale, McCluggage, Bailey, Robertson, McStay, Starcevich
Richmond: Nankervis, Pickett, Vlastuin, Ross, Lynch
 
INJURIES  
Brisbane: McInerney (concussion)
Richmond: Prestia (hamstring)
 
SUBSTITUTES  
Brisbane: Callum Ah Chee (replaced McInerney in the first quarter)
Richmond: Shane Edwards (replaced Prestia at half-time)
 
Crowd: 35,013 at the Gabba