The pointy end of the season is coming up. The last few weeks of the regular season where every team is giving it their all, week in week out. Every side is trying to finish as high in the standings as possible, attempting to make finals and gain a home ground advantage.
However, that's not all. The coach doesn't walk in and simply tell the players "we want to make finals", each team has specific goals tailored to the way they play game in order to make it as far as possible in the competition. We're going to look at every team's situation and dissect what they want to do and what they need to do in order to hoist that cup at the end of the season.
Brisbane Lions
Brisbane are not making the finals. They've sat at the bottom end of the ladder for the entire season, however that doesn't mean they throw the season away. With nothing to lose, this gives Chris Fagan the opportunity to test new game plans and strategies against elite competition.
It can't be argued that some of the players the Lions would have wanted to take a leap forward didn't this season. With such a young team, every game is vital in the development of the players. A key forward like Eric Hipwood can be used in so many different ways until the coaching staff finds the right fit for the team. So, no, the Lions won't make finals, but they'll look to spend the last weeks of the season on developing their young talent.
