<p>The Lions host Carlton in the first Elimination Final in yet another massive, Lions vs Blues clash at the Gabba.</p> <p>The battered Blues have fallen from being six – points clear in second place on the ladder to just stumbling into the eighth. Clinging onto the eighth spot after being bailed out by the Power with their win over the Dockers.</p> <p>It means they go back to the Gabba. An old, tired place, but a place that has mixed recent memories.</p> <p>A place where their season ended last season in the penultimate week of the season and where it got off to the perfect start this season in one of the games of the year.</p> <p>The Lions who after a slow start to the year, rocketed into being one of the form teams in the league. Despite dropping the past two matches, enter this game heavily favoured given how battered the Blues are.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Brisbane Lions vs Carlton Preview</h2> <p>The Blues don’t have to look for inspiration. Their famous one-point win over the Lions in the Opening Round was one of the best of the season. After being 46 points down, it’s one of the best in the club’s recent history.</p> <p>Significantly, it was the Blues' first win over the Lions in five attempts, and just the third time they’d beaten them since 2016.</p> <p>It was a significant night for both clubs, both results-wise and on the injury front which kickstarted a horror run for both clubs in the early part of the year.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Key Players to Watch</h2> <p><strong>Joe Daniher</strong></p> <p>Which Joe is going to show up?</p> <p>It’s the question on every Lions fan's lips. If “Good Joe” turns up, the Lions probably win this game by plenty. If “Bad Joe” turns up, well, the game is back in the balance again.</p> <p>So much of the Lions' fortunes rests on their accuracy and Daniher plays such a big part in that being their focal point in the front half.</p> <p>He’ll most likely get Jacob Weitering as his direct opponent, with whom he kicked two goals in each game against him as his direct opponent.</p> <p>While he’s been kicking goals in the last few weeks, the fluctuation in performances has been big. He needs a big game.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Josh Dunkley</strong></p> <p>There are three certainties in life.</p> <p>Death, Taxes, and Josh Dunkley matching up on Patrick Cripps whenever he plays Carlton.</p> <p>There are plenty of other key players for Carlton who are in the spotlight this weekend in finals, but there’s a clear headline act in the Carlton-selected side.</p> <p>Since he joined the Lions, Dunkley has had the job on Cripps all three ties, holding him to 17, 13, and 23 possessions respectively while collecting plenty of the ball on his own.</p> <p>We fully expect this to be the matchup again. Especially given how much looms on Cripps’ shoulders to lead his wounded Carlton team.</p> <p>As has been the case in many a year when you play the Blues, you stop Cripps you stop Carlton. That’s probably the case again here in this one.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Sam Docherty</strong></p> <p>There are plenty of other key players for Carlton who are in the spotlight this weekend in finals, but there’s a clear headline act in the Carlton selected side.</p> <p>Sam Docherty is going to play a game of football 26 weeks after doing his ACL. It is just a remarkable story any way you look at it. Just another amazing chapter in Docherty’s career.</p> <p>Park whether or not it’s a smart call or not to play him, he’s going to be there, and he’s going to have a role to play. It’s just a question of what role it is.</p> <p>Does he line up on a wing? Does he go and potentially tag the dangerous Dayne Zorko? Or is he the starting sub so they can look after him a bit?</p> <p>It’s a fascinating watch and one of the remarkable stories of this weekend of footy.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>AFL Finals Brisbane Lions vs Carlton - Who Will Win?&nbsp;</h2> <p>It’s almost impossible to make a case for Carlton here, right?</p> <p>Away to Brisbane. Half the team, and key players at that, coming back from injury, including a guy off an ACL in the opening round. And, most notably, the fact that they’ve only beaten Richmond, North Melbourne, and West Coast in the past eight weeks tells you all you need to know about the form they’re in.</p> <p>The Lions deserve favouritism given the way the second half of 2024 has panned out for both teams.</p> <p>&nbsp;Despite the early slip-ups at home, the Gabba remains an incredibly hard place for the opposition to go and win because they play the ground so well.</p> <p>Their forward line, featuring Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood, has been in excellent form, and their midfield, led by Lachie Neale has led the Lions' resurgence throughout the year.</p> <p>It’s a shame Carlton isn’t 100%&nbsp; healthy because this could have been fantastic. The Lions just need to do what other teams have been doing to the Blues. Get it to the outside and run. So, expect plenty of runs, carry, and quick transition from the men in maroon to try to catch Carlton on the fly.</p> <p>Brisbane's major issue has been its goalkicking, but the Lions have been one of the form sides of the competition to finish the season and should be good enough to progress.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Brisbane by 16 points.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Charlie Cameron 2+ goals.</p>