A heavyweight battle of epic proportions, Geelong will look to solidify their position in the top two on Friday night when they take on the reigning premiers, Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium. 

The Cats come into the match on a five game win streak and have the ascendancy at home against Brisbane, with the Lions last win at the venue coming all the way back in 2003. 

Brisbane will be looking to respond after winning two of their last six matches, slipping back into the pack a little after a hot start to the season. 

With a plethora of superstar players and an exciting game plan, check out the top things you need to know about Brisbane below, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

Ladder 

Geelong: 2nd (10-4)

Brisbane: 3rd (9-4-1)

Points For 

Geelong: 1426

Brisbane: 1224

Points Against 

Geelong: 1066

Brisbane: 1109

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week 

Taking away Brisbane's Kick, Mark Style

It has been a facet of the game that Brisbane have perfected over the past three years, but their kick and mark style is proving hard to stop once again in 2025. 

The Lions rank first in the AFL for kicks (231.6 per game) and marks (103.3) this year but are the 15th ranked team for handballs (137.8), very clearly showing the way they prefer to move the football. 

This has been a trend in recent years too, ranking first for kicks and marks per game in 2024 while sitting 16th for handballs, building on a 2023 campaign that produced similar numbers.

Dayne Zorko is a clear leader of this style, sitting first in the competition for kicks this year and seventh for total marks, often used as the Lions main distributor off half back. 

This trend was also seen in Geelong's clash with Brisbane earlier this season, with the Lions amassing 232 kicks and 93 marks in comparison to just 115 handballs, despite greasy conditions at the Gabba. 

Brisbane's Kick & Mark Stats

The Clearance Battle

Brisbane have superstars on every line, but through the midfield is where it goes to another level with four premium on-ballers that can quickly change the outcome of a game. 

The Lions are the number one ranked team in the AFL for total clearances in 2025 with an average of 41.7 per game, also finishing as the number one ranked clearance team in 2023 and 2024. 

Dual Brownlow Medalist, Lachie Neale leads the way for Brisbane and ranks fourth in the league for total clearances, closely followed by Will Ashcroft (12th), Hugh McCluggage (16th) and Josh Dunkley (22nd). 

Keep an eye on Hugh McCluggage

Speaking of those star on-ballers, no Lion has had a better season than Hugh McCluggage in 2025. 

His prowess around stoppages is clearly evident sitting in the competitions top 16 players for clearances and contested possessions, but it is actually in the forward half where the impressive Lion does his best work. 

McCluggage sits second in the AFL for total score involvements this year, second for goal assists and third for inside 50 entires, using his elite running capacity to break away out the front of stoppages. 

McCluggage's 2025 Stats