SATURDAY'S match between Gold Coast and Brisbane will mark the 20th instalment of the QClash, almost 10 years to the day since the two clubs first squared off.
The Suns won that thrilling first encounter in 2011, but the Lions hold a commanding 13-6 advantage overall, including a current streak of four straight wins.
Although the rivalry is yet to genuinely take off like its non-Victorian sidekicks in Adelaide, Perth and Sydney, there has been plenty of spice over the decade.
Former Brisbane captain Dayne Beams seemed to save his best for the Suns, winning the Marcus Ashcroft Medal as the best on ground three times in his five matches.
Gold Coast duo Gary Ablett and Touk Miller have won it twice, while combatants on Saturday Dayne Zorko (16), Daniel Rich (15) and David Swallow (14) have played the most times.
Here's five defining QClash moments.
5. Hanley puts the first nail in Bluey's coffin
Entering round 18, 2014, Gold Coast was outside the top eight on percentage only and favoured to trounce the lowly Lions to remain in the finals hunt. But what happened that night at the Gabba would set the wheels of change in motion at the Suns. Pearce Hanley racked up a career-high 45 disposals in the pouring rain, kicked two goals and added three assists as the home team stormed to a 41-point quarter-time lead and eventual 54-point victors. Despite a win the following week, the Suns lacked fight the rest of the season and eventually finished 12th. It would result in inaugural coach Guy 'Bluey' McKenna being sacked.
4. Fagan starts with a bang
Following 14 wins in three seasons, Justin Leppitsch was sacked as Brisbane coach at the end of 2016, paving the way for then 55-year-old Chris Fagan to get his first senior job. His first assignment? A QClash against Rodney Eade's Suns. It could not have started any better for Fagan, with the Lions slamming on seven first-quarter goals against the fancied Suns to take the air out of Metricon Stadium. Gold Coast chased and chased but fell short by two points, with a late Lewy Taylor goal sealing victory.
3. Dayne Zorko v Touk Miller
The bad blood between these two was all courtesy of a two-part series in 2018. It started in the round five clash when Miller was sent to put the clamps on the explosive Lions midfielder. He did just that, keeping Zorko to a miserly 10 disposals and winning the Ashcroft Medal in the process. Zorko wasn't happy post-match, refusing to shake Miller's hand after a Suns victory. It set the stage for a tasty second serve later in the year when they again went head-to-head. Zorko was again agitated, gesturing that his opponent stunk and then sarcastically running over to Miller after the Lions won to shake his hand in a demonstrative way.
2. Steven May's big hit
The one genuinely ugly incident between the clubs came in round four, 2016, when Gold Coast defender Steven May levelled Lions ruckman Stefan Martin. Martin was pursuing a loose ball in the middle of the Gabba when May came at full speed from the opposite direction, ran past the ball and left his feet to complete a horribly executed bump. Although the incident didn't really escalate into anything more, it left Martin seeing stars and resulted in a five-match suspension for May.
1. Gold Coast's shock win
In 2011 the Suns were the AFL's newest club, and despite their historic first win over Port Adelaide two weeks earlier, were expected to be beaten by 'Big Brother' Lions in the inaugural QClash. From the moment Simon Black called former teammates Jared Brennan and Michael Rischitelli "mercenaries" at a mid-week press conference, it was all downhill for Brisbane. Brennan dominated and won the Ashcroft Medal, Nathan Krakouer kicked five goals and hauled in a spectacular mark, and Liam Patrick produced a couple of dazzling highlights in the eight-point win. The 18 goals to 17 contest is still arguably the best to date and gave the rivalry instant credibility.
