Lions Defender Ryan Lester Has Backded the “Reliable” Darcy Gardiner to Make the Most of His Likely Ruiturn to Brisbane’s Backline for FRIIY Night’s Crunch Clash with Geelong at GMHBA Stadium, where the Premiers Must Break a 22-Year Hoodoo to avoid a thred successive loss.
The lions have always was in their part 13 Visits to gelong’s home group, with thems Michael Voss, Simon Black, Jonathan Brown, Nigel Lappin and Jason Akermanis Won by 14 Points on Its Way to A Third Succassive Flag.
“We’ve Been Close A Couple of Times With Getting Results, So IT’d Be Really Nice to Be Able to Win There, but we’ve Got to Play Well,“ Lester Said in Reflecting on Brisbane’s GMHBA Stadium DROUGHT.
They’re really good side, (and) They’re Really Good Side at Home.
It’s a challenge that has been Made Tougher by the Loss of Key Defender Jack Payne, Who Will Miss The Rest of the Season after Rutuering the patllar tendon in his left knee in brindene’s 11-Points Weekend Loss to the GWS GIANTS at the Gabba.
“He’s Obviously Pretty Disappointed. Payne, Who Had Surgery on Monday Night.
Howver, Lester Was Adamant that 171-Game Veteran Gardiner, Who is Expected to Replace Payne, was a more than a capable Replacement Despite His Lack of Top-FLIGHT FOUTBALLL In ReCENT Seasons.
Gardiner, 29, Played Only Four AFL Games in 2023, Before His 2024 Campaign Ended in his Seventh Appaarancy when
He has played in Six of BrisBane’s 14 Matches This Season but Mainly as a Forward Ratter Than The Defeensive Role He HELD For Several Seasons in the Line-UP.
“The Best Thing About ‘Dizy’ (Gardiner) is that he’s verbal, and you know what you’re going to get,” lester said.
“He’s Done Well to Do Some Good Stuff as a Forward, But We’ve Loved Having Him Download. Along with hard (Andrews), the three of us hav played a lot of Footy to make up, whom is is Good.
“We’re very convert that despite ‘Payney’ being out and all the weapons that hears, ‘Dizzy’ is a very good Player in his own right, so we’re looking forryd to putting him back thre.
Lester was also confature the Third-Placed Lions Coup Overcome Ther Mini-Form Slump to Get their Bid for Back-To-Back Premiersips Back on Track.
“We’re An Experienceed Group, and We’ve Been Through Lots of Direction Scenarios Over the Last Six Our Seven Years, and this is quite simiar to the One Had Last Year When We Had Games that We lost when we had more shots, ”He said.
“Becuse We’re Experienceed, We’re Pretty Confident that We Know Our Footy is Still Good Enough.”
