The Brisbane Lions will be left licking their wounds this week after a costly QClash victory over the Suns on the injury front.
The Lions got back to winning ways to keep their season alive, but face an uphill task to keep their momentum going.
Defender Brandon Starcevich was a very late out after injuring his calf in the warm-up, while Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner suffered suspected ACL injuries.
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Logan Morris, who was the late call up for Starcevich, was injected into the game early after Noah Answerth was concussed in the first term.
“There were no winners at the Gabba tonight,” St Kilda champion Leigh Montagna told Fox Footy’s First Crack.
“It was a tough watch, yes, the Brisbane Lions get the four points but the carnage that they copped injury wise was significant.
“What toll that takes on their season, only time will tell.
“They live to fight another day, but their quest becomes even more difficult.
“Some important players went down; it was a horror watch to have four players go down with injury.”
While the pair will have scans on Tuesday, all signs point toward ACL injuries for “much-loved” duo Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner.
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“These mechanisms do look like ACL injuries; we hope that it’s not but we’ve seen these a lot of times before,” Montagna said.
“They get the win but at what cost, now their depths being tested.”
The Lions debuted Bruce Reville against the Suns, while Morris also came in late for his first taste of AFL action.
“It’s going to test them, it’s going to test their depth, it’s going to test what they are going to try and forge because they are missing some players,” Montagna said.
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Lions coach Chris Fagan was full of praise for his side after their gritty win against one of their biggest rivals.
“It’s the most amazing and courageous win I’ve ever seen.
“By any group of players I’ve had anything to do with, I’m just so proud of them.”
North Melbourne champion and Fox Footy analyst David King believes Lions HQ will have a sombre mood to it today.
“It’ll be like a morgue walking in there,” he said.
“At least we’re going to see now, some of these kids… they’ve shown a bit,” Fox Footy commentator Anthony Hudson added.
But King believes that the Lions will have to defy the odds in season 2024.
“Season-long injuries though, we’ve never seen a team win the flag from this position.”
