Brisbane Lions' duty to wounded mates fuels grand final charge
Injured Brisbane Lions drive their teammates toward a fourth straight premiership.
Eric Hipwood and Jarrod Berry won Brisbane's 2024 premiership despite injuries, but others have not been as fortunate. Jack Payne missed the 2025 campaign after a patellar tendon tear and has sat out 2026 following surgery.
Keidean Coleman narrowly lost the 2023 grand final as a young player, then missed the 2024 and 2025 premierships with ACL and hamstring injuries. Keidean Coleman has played only 13 games this season.
Now Berry says he feels a responsibility to those injured teammates as Brisbane faces Fremantle on Saturday. I know how much it hurts, Berry said.
I feel a responsibility that I owe them to go out and play with massive effort and do it for them. Hipwood added that the fairytale wins of the past four years contrast with the hard-luck stories of players who missed out.
- 4 straight
- Brisbane grand finals in a row
- 13 games
- Coleman games played in 2026
- Patellar tendon tear
- Payne's injury
- Round 23 vs Carlton
- Coleman's last game
Why it mattersBrisbane's ability to deliver a fourth-straight premiership hinges on players carrying the emotional weight of their injured teammates' missed opportunities into the game.
AustraliaA Brisbane Lions three-peat win would cement them among AFL's greatest dynasties and deliver Queensland a fourth consecutive premiership.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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