Johnson was one of three historic co-captains for the Lions in their first round win against St Kilda in Cairns but missed the quarter-final victory against the Western Bulldogs with a foot injury.
Lions members and supporters can also look forward to seeing draftees Chris Schmidt (pick No.34) and James Hawksley (pick No.38) make their first official appearance in Lions colours.
The Lions remain without their first-choice key forward pairing of Daniel Bradshaw and Jonathan Brown while make-shift full-forward Jamie Charman has also been ruled out. The final 24-man team also didn’t include running midfielders Matthew Moody and Ben Fixter while rookie Scott Clouston will also stay at home.
The Cats have recalled the talented Brad Ottens to partner Cameron Mooney in attack. The oft-maligned big man starred with four goals against former club Richmond in the first round of the NAB Cup before Coach Mark Thompson took the luxury of resting him for last week’s thrilling extra time win over Port Adelaide in Darwin.
Joining Ottens in the Geelong squad is former captain and ruckman Steven King, along with the experienced Darren Milburn and the speedy David Wojcinski.
Joel Selwood was one of the exclusions from the Geelong squad - robbing fans of the chance to see the younger brother of Lions tagger Troy and West Coast defender Adam. The Cats were also unable to select Mathew Stokes, who received a four-match suspension from the AFL tribunal for a front-on bump.
The final Lions team is (with numbers):
2. Chris Johnson, 5. Scott Harding, 6. Luke Power, 7. Jed Adcock, 8. Tim Notting, 9. Ashley McGrath, 11. Justin Sherman, 12. James Hawksley, 13. Chris Schmidt, 15. Matthew Tyler, 17. Jared Brennan, 20. Simon Black, 21. Daniel Merrett, 24. Joel Patfull, 25. Wayde Mills, 29. Jason Roe, 30. Robert Copeland, 31. Cameron Wood, 32. Cheynee Stiller, 35. Michael Rischitelli, 40. Will Hamill, 42. Marcus Allan, 43. Beau McDonald, 46. Colm Begley.
The Geelong squad is:
Steven King, Tom Harley, Jimmy Bartel, Andrew Mackie, Travis Varcoe, BradOttens, Josh Hunt, James Kelly, Joel Corey, Charlie Gardiner, ShannonByrnes, Nathan Djerrkura, Matthew Egan, Cameron Mooney, Henry Playfair,Nathan Ablett, Mark Blake, David Johnson, Gary Ablett, Matthew Scarlett,Brent Prismall, Todd Grima, Joel Reynolds, Sam Hunt, Darren Milburn, DavidWojcinski, Corey Enright, Cameron Ling
Quarter Final stars:
Michael Rischitelli (Lions)
The Lions have a fine record with late-ish draft picks and rookies - witness the likes of Simon Black (No. 31, 1997 National Draft), Beau McDonald (No. 73 1997 National Draft) and Robbie Copeland (2001 rookie elevation). In recent years they've maintained the rage with players such as Jed Adcock (No. 33, 2003 National Draft), Justin Sherman (No. 45, 2004 National Draft) and Rischitelli, who lasted until the 61st pick of the 2003 Draft after an injury-plagued end to a stellar junior career. The hard-at-it 21-year-old stacks up more than adequately against any of the 60 players taken before him and wouldn't be at all out of place amongst a top-10 that was headed by the Western Bulldogs' Adam Cooney. He was superb in the round 1 win over St Kilda in Cairns and was even better in the Quarter Final triumph against the Bulldogs, collecting 29 possessions and using the ball with poise and precision.
Cameron Mooney (Geelong)
This was a tough call between Jimmy Bartel, who relished the wet conditions in Darwin en route to 26 possessions against Port Adelaide, and the enigmatic Mooney. In the end Mooney gets the nod after kicking four goals for the second week in a row - including what turned out to be an extra-time winner for the Cats against the Power. Mooney is a character who polarises the opinions of football fans at the best of times and there have been times - especially last year when his four suspensions for the season created a record - where he has well and truly tested the faith of his coach and club. But there is little doubt that the former Kangaroos premiership player is also a barometer for the Cats' success. A more than handy key forward, his size, aggression and skills also enable him to pinch-hit in the ruck and fill key defensive posts.
On the punt:
The Lions start at long odds again - having gone into last week's Quarter Final against the Western Bulldogs at a very luxurious $4.00. This time out the price about the Lions is even more exotic, with the travelling side listed at a whopping $4.25 compared to Geelong's very skinny $1.18. Fans who fancy the Lions leading at every change and winning can get $13, while the odds about the Lions scoring first are also attractive - $3.75 for a goal and $3.90 for a behind.
Extraordinarily, for a team which has beaten a 2006 finalist in each of the last two weeks, the Lions are still the rank underdogs to take out the NAB Cup at $9.00. The Cats are favourites at $1.85, with even back-to-back wooden spooners Carlton ($5.00) significantly shorter than the Lions. The Blues take on the Kangaroos ($3.40) in the weekend's other semi-final at Carrara on Saturday night.
Oddly enough, both the Blues ($71) and the Roos (a massive $101) rank behind the Lions ($61) in betting for the premiership proper. The competition's two Western Australian teams, reigning premiers West Coast ($4.80) and the up-and-coming Fremantle ($6.50), head the market.
NAB Cup history:
Before last year's NAB Cup victory, Geelong's pre-season premiership drought went back even further than their legendary season proper barren spell - all the way to 1961, when Bob Davis was coach The Lions are still chasing their first ever NAB Cup since the merger - although Fitzroy were pre-season premiers in both 1959 and 1978. The Lions lost to Port Adelaide in the 2001 grand final by 85 points, before going on to claim a first-ever AFL premiership later in the year. The Lions have an overall 17-20 record in the pre-season, while the Cats are 38-39.
2006: the Lions scored a thrilling one-point win over Essendon in Round 1 of the NAB Cup, as AFL football made an official return to Carrara and the Gold Coast, the former homes of the Brisbane Bears. Jared Brennan was the hero, soccering an instinctive goal that put the Lions in front in the final quarter and then providing the behind that broke a deadlock with six seconds left and ultimately proved decisive. The Lions bowed out against Melbourne in Round 2 the following week at Docklands, putting in a brave effort but eventually succumbing by nine points. Geelong, on the other hand, were relatively unchallenged leading into a Grand Final date against Adelaide. They accounted for Carlton in Round 1 by 28 points, before knocking off the Kangaroos in Cairns (26 points) and Fremantle at the Docklands in the Semi Final (20 points). Mark Thompson's side then overcame a slow start to account for the Crows by eight points in an entertaining Grand Final at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide - last week's heroes Bartel and Mooney leading their best player list.
2005: the Lions travelled North to Cazaly Stadium for the first round but Melbourne, buoyed by three nine-point super goals emerged 45-point winners. Geelong also bowed out in the opening week of the 2005 pre-season, succumbing to the Kangaroos by 25 points at Manuka Oval in Cairns.
2004: Entering the year in search of a fourth straight flag, the Lions beat Hawthorn by 37 points at Aurora Stadium in Round 1 but went down to Essendon by 11 points at Telstra Dome the following week. Geelong advanced to the pre-season Grand Final and looked set to take prize heading into the last quarter against St Kilda. The Cats, however, could manage only a solitary behind as St Kilda dominated the final quarter eventually running out 22-point winners.
Odds & sods:
***When it rains, it pours! After two NAB Cup games without a super-goal(the 06 quarter-final loss to Melbourne and the first round win over St Kilda in Cairns), the Lions suddenly found two last week against the WesternBulldogs. Now three current Lions - Luke Power, Robbie Copeland and key defender Daniel Merrett - have scored a nine-pointer in the AFL's pre-season competition.
***No prizes for guessing that Leigh Matthews is easily the most experienced coach in Lions history. But what of Mark Thompson at Geelong? The man known as Bomber actually sits second on the Cats' all-time coaching list - well ahead of Malcolm Blight, Gary Ayres and the club's only living premiership coach Bob Davis. Mind you, Thompson (160 premiership games since taking on the top job in 2000) has some way to go before he catches Reg Hickey, who amassed a massive 304 games.
***As mentioned in the Quarter Final Stars section, the Lions are experts at finding bargain pick-ups in the draft. Of the 24 that turned out against the Western Bulldogs in last week's quarter-final win, only three players, Luke Power, Jared Brennan and Ash McGrath, were first-round draft picks, while Jamie Charman was a Queensland zone selection. By contrast, the Bulldogs have a glut of first-rounders on their list, including Adam Cooney, Andrejs Everitt, Ryan Griffen, Shaun Higgins, Brad Johnson, Andrew McDougall, Jordan McMahon, Robert Murphy, Sam Power, Farren Ray, Tim Walshand Tom Williams - even if they weren't all in action against the Lions. The Lions' 24 last week featured eight rookies or former rookies, including one (Colm Begley) who hadn't played a game of Australian Rules until this time last year.
***After winning 10 games in a row against Geelong from 1997 to 2003, the Lions have found matters more challenging against Mark Thompson's side in recent seasons. The last time the Lions beat the Cats was on a rain-sodden day at the Gabba in Round 13 of 2005, when uncharacteristically poor Queensland weather proved no barrier to a 17.14 (116) to 6.11 (47) win. Of the Lions' best players that day (according to lions.com.au), no fewer than seven - Jason Akermanis, Jonathan Brown, Justin Leppitsch, TroySelwood, Dylan McLaren, Michael Voss and Nigel Lappin - won't be in action on Friday night. The Lions lost twice to Geelong in 2006, including a 77-point defeat in Round 1.
The Weekend's Other Games:
NAB Cup:
Saturday March 10: Semi-final: Kangaroos v Carlton, Carrara.
Regional Challenge:
Adel v WCE: Friday March 9th in Alice Springs
Syd v Coll: Friday March 9th in Narrandera
Essendon v Western Bulldogs: Saturday March 10th in Geelong
Melbourne v Richmond: Saturday March 10th at MC Labour Park
Fremantle v Hawthorn: Saturday March 10th at Subiaco
Port Adelaide v St Kilda: Friday March 9th at AAMI Stadium
Injury List:
Mitchell Clark (Knee - 1 week); Richard Hadley (Knee - Indefinite); Jonathan Brown (Back - 1 week) ; Anthony Corrie (Knee - Indefinite); Chris Scott (Hip - Indefinite); Matthew Leuenberger (Groin - 3 weeks); Joel Macdonald (Knee - Indefinite); Pat Garner (Knee - Indefinite); Troy Selwood (Back - Indefinite); Albert Proud (S/C Joint - Test); Daniel Bradshaw (Hamstring - Test); Haydn Kiel (Hamstring - 3 - 4 weeks); JoshDrummond (Glute - 1 week); Nigel Lappin (Elbow - 1 - 2 weeks); JoelTippett (Groin - Available)
