3 minute read

Brisbane used Melbourne's rapid decline as motivation to continue working hard in pursuit of AFL premiership success.

Melbourne won't have a direct impact on this year's AFL premiership race after missing out on the finals for a second successive season.

But their dramatic fall from grace since a sharp rise up the ladder two years ago served as a stark warning that has helped shape a rival's flag bid.

Brisbane used the Demons' decline, as well as pundits' predictions that the Lions would follow a similar path, as motivation heading into the 2020 campaign.

It has gone to plan so far with Chris Fagan's team backing up last year's drought-breaking finals appearance with another top-two finish.

"We mentioned the other teams that have done it (slid back down the ladder) before and looked at some of the comments that were writing us off," midfielder Jarryd Lyons said.

"There was more than one journalist that wrote us off as a flash in the pan.

"It was certainly looked at and brought up by 'Fages' (Fagan) and used as a bit of a motivator at the start of the year."

Melbourne endured 11 barren seasons before reaching the preliminary final in 2018, but won just five matches the following season.

Brisbane ended their 10-year finals dry spell last season, exiting in straight sets, but feel better placed for a premiership tilt this time around with that experience behind them.

"You don't want to be that team that does what Melbourne did, where they made a prelim and then finished 17th," Lyons said.

"We made sure that we put in a really good pre-season and we didn't drop off at all."

It hasn't been an armchair ride for Brisbane, who were embarrassed by Hawthorn in round one and had to wait almost three months for redemption as the COVID-19 pandemic put the season on hold.

But they have lost just two matches since the season restart and will host a qualifying final against Richmond at the Gabba on Friday night.

"We certainly didn't sit back and have a holiday (during the shutdown period)," Lyons said.

"I've never seen a group push themselves so hard away from a footy club like this group does.

"I think that set us up as a group but a lot of individuals actually made some really big strides in that period as well."