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Racing and Sports will provide analysis of many games in the 2021 AFL Season.

We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.

BRISBANE V GEELONG

Thursday 24 June @ the Gabba

A replay of last year's Prelim or that of the nail biter at Kardinia Park – which do you prefer Cats fans? That is what we have in store and we only have to wait until Thursday night this week.

Then again the Lions may prefer the 'Miracle on Grass'.

These two are possibly the hot two of the competition right now. One loss between them in a long while says as much.

In truth it is also their game style that has developed so since they met back at the start of the season. The Lions and their fans don't want to recall that match for many reasons be they the failure to pay a match winning free kick or the COVID affects that led to a long stay in Melbourne. But they did regroup and meld afterwards.

And Geelong has galvanised themselves after plenty of criticism of their methodology through that first month of the year. There were definite frailties in that but with a few big names back, things have developed for the better.

Brisbane went through the motions a bit last week in Hobart. When you are a good team playing the worst team, it can be hard to gather that motivation.

They probably missed a bit of a percentage booster but when you get through unscathed this time of year and pocket the four points that is job done really.

The team has plenty of well known names but Jarryd Lyons goes under whatever radar there is in footy. He got plenty of the sherrin and yet was still leading tackler as well. That shows application but determination too. All teams need the less flashy, blue collar types.

It also takes some pressure of Neale and McCluggage and others to have standout performances. Save those for the biggest of times.

The Lions are a solid team from back to forward. They should be around the mark with two weeks of 2021 to go unless the wheels fall off.

Now Geelong is a real talking point. Having gotten themselves into the position of potentially Top 2 once again under Chris Scott, where will their Finals be played?

By September are we still talking reduced crowd numbers? In which case they'd ask why not play at GMHBA rather than a half filled colossus that would be the MCG?

Since Cameron has arrived and hit the scoreboard, it has taken the pressure of both Hawkins and Rohan. The latter is definitely one that is much freerer as third cog. And his finish to win the Dogs game showed just that.

That match was high quality from the jump. Full credit to the Western Bulldogs for hanging in there as very often those ones down the Cattery slip quickly away from visiting teams.

Every time Dangerfield and Sellwood along with Smith and Guthrie tried to impose themselves they were combated. Whether Sellwood should be playing this week is another thing but he is, so Brisbane will have one more body to contend with.

However it was Tom Stewart acting like Peter Shilton that in all likelihood won Geelong the game. Many a foray was stymied by his intercepting. That goal keeper style player is so important if the opposition doesn't learn.

It will be up to the Lions to not get into that bombing raid mentality which can be hard given Daniher and Hipwood are targets.

Since that loss to Sydney in Rd 1, Brisbane has gone back to making the Gabba the fortress it had essentially become. But being such an experienced team, Geelong may not find it that way. They play well there too generally.

The old taggers system should be on full display Thursday night. Brisbane should have someone on Sellwood and play a forward hard tag on Stewart to stop his intervention.

Geelong should clamp down on Neale and make the rest beat them. He was literally the only contributor from back in October.

It is hard to believe a team in this good a form is such a good price as Geelong is. But Brisbane don't get much love by comparison and think they will win. The loss of Mitch Duncan longer term is not great.

With the tall defenders to oppose him, this strikes me as Charlie Cameron's game to rip it apart and get the motorbike humming along.

Match Selection: Brisbane by 21 points

Suggested Bets: Charlie Cameron 3+ goals @ $3.75