Lions can ‘chop up’ Melbourne to bury MCG demons: Aker

Murray Wenzel | July 14, 2023

Brisbane great Jason Akermanis wants the Lions to attack the corridor against Melbourne or face getting “lost” again in the MCG’s vast expanses.

The Lions, who are third and two wins clear of the fourth-placed Demons, head to the Melbourne cauldron for just the second time this year without a win in their 12 previous – and rare – regular-season visits stretching back to 2014.

While they did upset the Demons in a semi-final at the venue last year – the Lions’ only win in 11 trips since Fagan arrived in 2017 – a shock loss to Hawthorn last month ensured the hoodoo remains.

Three-time premiership player Akermanis has his theories, pointing to the extra width of the venue compared to the Gabba – officially measured at just two metres despite claims it’s as great as 13m – and even the different grass that grows there as contributing factors.

“The width of the ‘G tends to cause a bit of trouble, it’s an extra kick and you can get stuck out wide, you can get lost,” he said.

“You need some good running but you need to use and own the corridor and chop them up with 45’s (degree handballs) or quick kicks coming inside.

“They do seem to be a bit hesitant playing there.

“And we would spend a lot of time before the game getting used to that bounce.

“It would bounce up really high. It’s so different to grass up here or Perth, you just need to be on top of it.” 

All but rolling his eyes when asked about those factors on Thursday, Fagan says he’s heard it all before.

“I’m sick of questions on the MCG to be honest, but if you want to keep asking,” Fagan said before the team departed.

“We’re acutely aware of our MCG record, but we also won there three games ago, so we know we can win there.

“It’s a little bit wider and a little bit longer, we just haven’t played well.”

The Lions have struggled there since the club’s 1996 merger, with just 16 wins with one draw and 41 losses from their 58 visits.

“The look’s different everywhere you play … that’s why teams have troubles coming to the Gabba and winning,” he said.

“And that’s actually true; the grass at every ground is different, the surface at every ground is different, not just the MCG.

“It’s sort of like, ‘Yep, tell me something we don’t know’.”

The Lions have won four straight games since the Hawthorn stumble which some Lions have since pointed to as a line-in-the-sand moment for the premiership hopefuls.

Lincoln McCarthy has been named to return for the Lions after serving a one-game suspension, while Jarrod Berry is back after overcoming a hamstring injury.

Melbourne pulled a major selection shock by axing ruckman Brodie Grundy in favour of young forward Jacob van Rooyen.