Source : ABC NEWS
The Lions have home advantage for tonight’s game at the Gabba, but how do the teams stack up against each other?
We know that both sides are strong in attack, and the figures back that up.
The Swans are the number one attacking side in the league, scoring an average 112.7 points per game so far this season.
The Lions are not too shabby themselves. Brisbane is the number two-ranked team in the AFL, scoring an average of 101.8 points per game (a step down from Sydney, but still in the vicinity).
But what about defence? Anecdotally this season the Lions have had their troubles shutting down opposition scoring at times, but what do the stats tell us? Brisbane is conceding an average of 93.8 points a game, or 14th in the league.
And Sydney? The Swans are a distant second behind the league-leading Fremantle defence, conceding 78.4 points per game. That’s second in the league.
So the Swans are ranked very highly on both sides of the ball – and they are bringing back a key defender and a key sparker of attacking moves.
Fair to say that the Lions back six will either need to lift substantially, or they will need help from further up the ground.
Then again, we should rip out the old adage “that’s why they don’t play games on paper”.
