THE BRISBANE Lions have included Nigel Lappin into the senior team for Sunday's showdown with Fremantle at the Gabba, a match which co-captain Chris Johnson hopes will continue in the free-flowing vein of last weekend's win over Carlton.

Lappin, who hasn't played since suffering a corked thigh in round one, has been named in the centre. Marcus Allan makes way for Lappin while versatile left-footer Drummond and 2006 draftee Schmidt have also been listed as emergencise for the match.

While aware the Lions can't afford to get into a pure shootout, Johnson said one-on-one football across the park was the preferred style for players and fans alike.

"It just depends on what style of game they (Fremantle) decide to play. If they decide to go one-on-one around the ground you'll probably see a similar style of game to last week," Johnson said.

"Probably not so much of a shootout, but the kind of game that is both good to play in and good to watch - plenty of one-on-one contests on the ground and in the air, which are the things that have made football so good to watch over the years.

"On the other hand, if they chuck two blokes behind the ball obviously it will be a bit of a slower game and a bit more of a grind."

Johnson is the sole member of Fitzroy's last team still playing at AFL level, following John Barker's retirement at the end of 2006. The veteran of 262 games was only 20 when the Roys went down to Fremantle by 109 points in their final game at Subiaco Oval.

"I was just a kid back then. I remember the game at Subiaco but I don't think I really had thought much at the time about it being Fitzroy's last ever game," Johnson said.

"I'm looking forward to playing against Fremantle because I always look forward to playing against good sides - but I've never really looked at them as the last team that played against Fitzroy."

Fremantle has included experienced defender Shane Parker, tall forward Adam Campbell and ruckman Robert Warnock - the latter of whom is yet to play an AFL game. If 205cm Warnock does play, he will team with 211cm Aaron Sandilands in what is likely to be the tallest ruck combination the league has ever seen.

TEAMS

Brisbane Lions
B: Chris Johnson, Daniel Merrett, Jason Roe
HB: Jed Adcock, Jared Brennan, Robert Copeland
C: Justin Sherman, Nigel Lappin, Cheynee Stiller
HF: Scott Harding, Jonathan Brown, Tim Notting
F: Michael Rischitelli, Joel Patfull, Ashley McGrath
FOLL: Jamie Charman, Simon Black, Luke Power
I/C: Richard Hadley, Colm Begley, Beau McDonald, Ben Fixter
Emerg: Chris Schmidt, Josh Drummond, Marcus Allan

Fremantle
B: Shane Parker, Antoni Grover, Steven Dodd
HB: Heath Black, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Michael Johnson, Peter Bell, David Mundy
HF: Des Headland, Matthew Pavlich, Paul Hasleby
F: Robert Warnock, Chris Tarrant, Dean Solomon
FOLL: Aaron Sandilands, Ryan Crowley, Josh Carr
I/C (from): Matthew Carr, Adam Campbell, Troy Cook, Daniel Gilmore, Shaun McManus, Luke Webster, James Walker

ON THE PUNT:Like last week's match with Carlton, fans are obviously finding this one a tough betting proposition, with the Lions $1.85 favourites, but only narrowly ahead of Fremantle ($1.90). A Lions win of 39 points or less is top pick in the margin market at $2.35. Punters looking for a bit of value might consider placing a wager on the total combined points to be scored by both teams. The Lions and Dockers can both play free-flowing football, which makes the 221 points or more at $5.25 look quite intriguing - particularly given the Lions-Blues shootout last weekend netted 250 points.

Those who took the $3 on offer for Jonathan Brown to be the leading goal-kicker against Carlton would have ultimately been disappointed after a promising start. Brown kicked his third goal early in the third quarter and looked destined to boot several more, but failed to add to that tally as he unselfishly set up teammates like Chris Johnson instead. Johnson eventually finished as one of eight players tied with Brown for the match's goalkicking honours. Perhaps punters who did their dough on Brown last week may like to invest a little more of their hard-earned on the big forward in the Brownlow Medal race. After last week's influential performance, Brown is in to $11 for the win and $3.50 for the place.

KEY MATCH-UPS:Ash McGrath (Lions) v Shane Parker (Fremantle). As the teams have been named, Fremantle games record-holder Parker - returning from a week out with a groin injury - is set to lock horns with McGrath from the opening bounce. But it wouldn't shock to see several other Freo players, such as Steven Dodd and Roger Hayden, entrusted with the job of limiting the dangerous Lions small forward. Each potential match-up has an upside for the Lions - 34-year-old Parker won't have the mobility to go with McGrath all of the time, Dodd is also likely to find him a bit nippy and Hayden's first instinct is probably to counter-attack rather than defend traditionally. Chances are likely to come McGrath's way and if he can convert like he has in recent weeks, the instinctive crumber could be influential.

Jamie Charman and Beau McDonald (Lions) v Aaron Sandilands and Robert Warnock (Fremantle). Ruckmen are becoming a regular feature in this section of the preview but, let's face it, when was the last time 203cm McDonald faced two opponents who were both taller than him? Warnock is an unknown quantity but Sandilands is arguably Fremantle's most important player at present and his ability to get the ball going forward from bounces and throw-ins is crucial to the Fremantle’s game plan. How to beat him? It's a tough question but if McDonald can make him earn his keep at the stoppages and the smaller Charman can give him the runaround, it will be a good start. Pressing forward and drawing Sandilands back into defence, where he is presumably less comfortable, wouldn't hurt either.

Jared Brennan (Lions) v Chris Tarrant (Collingwood). The modern era's equivalent of Peter Knights v Paul Van Der Haar? Okay, so maybe that's taking it a bit far. But it's a match-up that fans would love to see. And, although the teams haven't been named as such, it's a distinct possibility. If Fremantle lines up as named, Daniel Merrett seems likely to get Warnock and Jason Roe looms as the potential choice for Matthew Pavlich - meaning Brennan would probably mark Tarrant. Both players are extremely athletic, occasionally unpredictable and very entertaining to watch. In fact, when Brennan made his stellar debut in round four, 2003, he spent much of the second half blanketing Tarrant, then of Collingwood.

ODDS & SODS:Three of the Lions' highest-ever scores for individual quarters have been booted against Fremantle. The Lions kicked 11.1 (67) in the first term and then 10.4 (64) in the second quarter of the clash with Fremantle in round 20, 1999 - both records. The 13.6 (84) the Lions booted against Freo in the final quarter of their round 5 clash in 2001 is also a record and capped an amazing end to an amazing game. With Matthew Pavlich kicking four goals, Fremantle led by 15 points, 10 minutes into the last term, before the Lions unleashed an astonishing finishing burst that saw them run out 49-point victors.

*** Big winning streaks have never been a feature of Lions-Freo meetings - for either side. Even during the Lions' premiership years, when they battled Fremantle, they could piece together no more than four wins in a row. Freo, meanwhile, has never posted more than two wins in a row against the Lions and are yet to beat the Lions at the Gabba.

*** Talk about a mosquito fleet! Former Fremantle captain Peter Bell is some 36cm shorter and 44kg lighter than mammoth ruckman Aaron Sandilands - a statistical condition indicative of the Fremantle midfield. Flanking the 175cm Bell will be the likes of Heath Black (176cm), Josh Carr (178cm), Troy Cook (176cm), Shaun McManus, Roger Hayden and James Walker (all 179cm). Unavailable for Sunday's clash are Byron Schammer (176cm) and Andrew Browne (174cm). By comparison, the Lions' running brigade is a veritable mob of giants, in the shape of Simon Black (186cm), Michael Rischitelli (184cm), Cheynee Stiller (186cm), Nigel Lappin (188cm) and Richard Hadley (190cm).

*** Lions midfielder Troy Selwood's family grabbed a slice of history this week when younger brother and Geelong first-year player Joel picked up a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination. The nod meant Joel followed in the footsteps of twins Troy and Adam (West Coast) and enabled the Selwoods to draw level with the Cloke brothers (Jason, Cameron and Travis) in the Rising Star stakes. With another younger brother Scott playing in the TAC Cup, the Selwoods may have a chance of claiming the record outright in the next couple of years.

*** Still with the Selwoods, recent news and a small item of slightly ironic trivia: ex-Lion and now Fremantle midfielder Des Headland, was actually traded to Fremantle in exchange for the 2002 National Draft picks that became Jared Brennan (No. 3) and Troy Selwood (No. 26). Troy made a successful return from off-season back surgery for the Suncoast Lions last week. Sunday's match will mark the first time Headland has played at the Gabba since defecting west at the end of 2002.

LAST TIME THEY MET:The Lions, with Brown in the middle of a purple patch, won by 68 points. Fresh from booting eight goals the week before against Port Adelaide, Brown kicked another seven in a dominant performance in front of a delighted Gabba crowd, as the Lions ran out 21.15 (141) to 10.13 (73) winners. Simon Black and Justin Sherman were also prominent, with Peter Bell (27 possessions) one of precious few contributors for the Dockers.

SUNCOAST LIONS

Suncoast Lions (0-3) v Morningside (2-1)
Sunday, the Gabba, 9.20am

Television broadcast details

QLD: 1pm LIVE on the Seven Network and Fox Sports
VIC: 1pm LIVE on Fox Sports

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.