Brisbane Lions slump a long time coming for AFLW powerhouse

Brisbane Lions find themselves in a challenging position heading into their round nine AFLW match against Hawthorn. Already two games out of the top eight, a loss would make finals series mathematically impossible for the perennial contender. Across AFLW history, the Lions have missed finals just once, in 2019, and made seven of nine grand finals.

Their recent slump in form and lack of depth due to injuries and player trades have made the 2025 Grand Finalists a bottom-eight side. Key players like Taylor Smith, Poppy Boltz, Ellie Hampson, Courtney Hodder, and Ally Anderson have been unavailable or traded away, leaving the Lions heavily reliant on their senior players. This has exacerbated issues in their game style, which has always relied on hard running and fitness, but is now being challenged by increasingly defensive strategies and organization across the competition.

The Lions have struggled to adapt to a more precise ball movement game, with their forward 50 entries having a high rebound rate, conceding the fourth-highest rate across the AFLW this year. Their goal efficiency has been dropping steadily since their 2023 premiership season, hitting a club-low of 15.1 percent this year. The club's disposal efficiency is also at its lowest point, using the ball at just 59.0 percent.

While they have traditionally been strong in defense, conceding a club-high 36.1 inside 50s per game this season, their ability to control stoppages has weakened, giving up 20.6 points from the source per game. This has put pressure on the back line to defend more inside 50s, leading to greater scores conceded each week. Despite these challenges, the Lions see this as an opportunity to regenerate and develop their younger players, with some playing more than they expected. Their upcoming match against the Hawks will be their last chance to turn things around.