Lions face Adelaide with changes, pressure and a chance to reset
On Sunday afternoon at the Gabba, lions will meet Adelaide in a match that carries more than ladder points. Brisbane has made three changes, Adelaide has made two, and both teams arrive with the kind of selection calls that can reshape a week before the opening bounce.
For the Lions, premiership duo Darcy Fort and Conor McKenna return, alongside midfielder James Tunstill. For Adelaide, captain Jordan Dawson is back, and ruck-forward Toby Murray has been named for his second AFL game. In a round marked by remembrance, the changes sit beside a larger story: form, fitness and the human cost of carrying a team through a demanding season.
Why does this Lions clash matter so much?
The answer is simple: both clubs need it. Brisbane enters the match after a surprising two-point loss to Melbourne, while Adelaide and the reigning premier are locked into a contest that already feels important in the early stages of the season. The two sides have each won three of their first six games, leaving them on the outer of the top 10 and searching for a cleaner run.
The Gabba setting only sharpens the stakes. Brisbane is at home, but the pressure is not only external. David King, a commentator with SEN, has put Cam Rayner in focus, arguing that the forward needs a standout performance after what he described as a quieter start to the year. King said Rayner “hasn’t had ‘the game’ yet, ” while Kane Cornes said he would like to see a big possession, goal-heavy outing from him. That kind of scrutiny is part of elite football, but it also reflects a broader truth: a team’s identity can turn quickly when one key player clicks.
What changes have Brisbane and Adelaide made?
Brisbane’s selection shifts are clear. Fort, McKenna and Tunstill come in. Jarrod Berry is out with a calf injury, Noah Answerth is unavailable because of concussion, and Zane Zakostelsky returns to the VFL. The Lions’ interchange includes Kai Lohmann, Logan Morris, Conor McKenna, James Tunstill and Bruce Reville, with Zakostelsky, Shadeau Brain and Darragh Joyce listed as emergencies.
Adelaide’s changes are built around both availability and opportunity. Captain Jordan Dawson returns, and Toby Murray has been named after injury interrupted his first AFL appearance earlier this season. Adam Kelly, Adelaide’s Executive General Manager Football, said Dawson is an inspiration to the group and spoke of the support around him and his family during a difficult time. On Murray, Kelly said the young ruck-forward had earned another chance after returning to full fitness and showing powerful aerial work at SANFL level. The keyword is selection, but the feeling underneath it is recovery.
How does selection connect to the human side of the night?
This is where the game becomes more than a tactical exercise. For Adelaide, Dawson’s return gives the team a leader back on the field at a moment when football can offer routine, teammates and purpose. Kelly’s words made clear that the club sees the match as something bigger than a normal selection call. For Murray, the second AFL game is also a reward for patience after a back ailment forced him out after debuting in Round One against Collingwood.
Brisbane’s changes carry a different but equally practical weight. Two of its adjustments are forced, and that always changes the tone of a team sheet. When injury and concussion shape a line-up, the room for continuity narrows. That is part of the week’s reality for both clubs: managing bodies, minutes and expectations while trying not to lose rhythm.
What should fans expect at the Gabba?
The match begins at 3: 15pm AEDT and will be broadcast live on Seven, Fox Footy and Kayo. Brisbane is playing at home, Adelaide is arriving with its captain back, and both teams are carrying enough uncertainty to make the opening quarter feel revealing. If Rayner gets the kind of game King wants, Brisbane’s structure may look sharper. If Dawson settles quickly and Murray provides a target, Adelaide could turn selection confidence into scoreboard pressure.
There is also a quieter layer to the night. Adelaide’s commemorative ANZAC guernsey, with rosemary hoops and poppies, ties the fixture to remembrance, and part proceeds from sales will go to the RSL ANZAC Appeal. That gives the game a wider frame than football alone. In the middle of a season defined by wins, losses and changes, the Gabba will hold both the noise of competition and the stillness of memory. For the lions, it is a chance to respond. For Adelaide, it is a chance to carry a captain back into the line-up and see what follows.
