SINCE the first time Brisbane qualified for finals under Chris Fagan six seasons ago, there's been one fellow contender that has consistently given it problems: Geelong.
After snapping an eight-game losing streak against the Cats late in 2019 courtesy of a Lincoln McCarthy hanger and clutch goal, the Lions have battled to solve the questions posed by Chris Scott's team.
They've won just two of the next eight contests, suffering 42- and 71-point losses respectively in the 2020 and 2022 preliminary finals.
So why have the Cats won the arm-wrestle more than they've lost it and what can the Lions do to shift the balance of power at the MCG on Saturday afternoon?
In those early encounters, it was Geelong's sheer physicality that troubled Brisbane, with Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Cam Guthrie and co overpowering Lachie Neale, Jarryd Lyons and Dayne Zorko in the midfield.
That was just a microcosm of the troubles, with the Lions struggling to move the ball if they weren't winning it at the coalface, and the Cats' bigger bodies around the ground holding sway in more contests than not.
It's been far from one-way traffic, though.
Brisbane was unlucky not to win at GMHBA Stadium in early 2021 when the AFL conceded Zac Bailey should have won a holding-the-ball decision adjacent to the goals with seconds remaining that could have given them victory.
They won the return bout at the Gabba later that season and then ran the Cats close again in 2022 before turning the tables to win late in 2023.
"They play a great team brand," Fagan said on Thursday morning.
"They've got a really clear system, they’re well organised.
'We've had some good battles with them, we've had some close games we've lost, some games we've won. Every time we've played them, we've learnt something.
"There's a lot to think about when you play Geelong."
When the Cats won by 27 points in the wet earlier this season, it was a perfect snapshot of what they do well.
Injuries played their part in that game with Tom Stewart and Oscar McInerney early casualties from their respective teams, but the Lions tried to play perfect football and turned it over to the extra Geelong numbers.
This has consistently been the bigger issue the Lions have battled to solve.
In those eight games from 2020 onwards, Brisbane has averaged just 60 points a game. Keep in mind over that period they have never been placed lower than fifth in the AFL when it comes to points scored. They're a high-powered attacking unit.
However, Geelong's love of creating a spare in defence, and flooding its half-forwards around the contest, has given the Lions issues.
Brisbane showed in its remarkable come-from-behind win over Greater Western Sydney that it can move from its control game to all-out chaos, moving the ball with speed and creating their own issues for opponents forward of the ball.
They'll have to find a nice balance of attacking with flair before the Cats can set up, and showing patience so they don't kick to any spare players like Stewart or Zach Guthrie.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's Finals Focus, four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson highlighted one big issue that has troubled the Lions – and many other teams – when facing Geelong.
"The real challenge for any defender playing on these high half-forwards for Geelong is do you go right up with them and get high into your own forward half or do you sit back and wait for them to spit (forward).
"That's going to be really interesting.
"Geelong are so good at getting up high and then turning around and spitting back to goal."
Brad Close, Shaun Mannagh, Gryan Miers and Tyson Stengle are all experts and losing their opponents around the congestions and then legging it towards goal to find space.
If Brisbane can solve that, and how to avoid the Cats' spare defender they like to manufacture, they're every chance of beating Geelong for the first time in Victoria since the 2004 preliminary final.
