AFL25: Cyclone threatens to derail AFL season opener between Brisbane Lions and Geelong Cats

Queensland’s disaster management committee is assessing options, should the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast be realised. The forecast reads: “Destructive wind gusts exceeding 130km/h possible depending on the movement and development of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.”

The Bureau of Meteorology said Alfred was forecast to move southward and weaken “roughly parallel” to the Queensland coast on Sunday, before moving to the southeast on Monday.

“Alfred is then expected to slow down and is likely to turn westward from Tuesday, moving back towards the southern Queensland coast,” the Bureau said.

Queensland isn’t the only state in danger. The NSW SES, in an alert issued on Sunday afternoon, fears the cyclone could produce flash flooding and river floods, damaging winds and heavy rainfall across much of northern NSW.

All games next weekend are outside Victoria as part of the league’s bid to make a splash in interstate markets. The Gabba clash has added spice, for the two teams met in last year’s preliminary final.

Midfielder Josh Dunkley said the Lions were ready for their premiership defence.

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“Mentality is a choice, and we have a choice,” Dunkley said on Sunday after training.

“The last few years we’ve been a really good side, so there’s no reason why this year the mentality changes, just because we won a premiership.

“It’s all about the present and being in the right frame of mind. And we’ve preached the right message to the boys this year and are not looking any further than this week. If you think that it’s easy, then it won’t happen.”

The Lions’ brutal thumping of Sydney on that final Saturday of last September completed an incredible campaign from a side that had climbed back from 13th position to finish fifth, then recovered from deficits of 44 and 25 points in earlier finals to reach the decider.

At their lowest ebb, coach Chris Fagan told the group: “If you’re on thin ice, you may as well dance.”

Closely beaten in the 2023 decider, the Lions aim to snap the modern AFL trend that’s seen premiers struggle to back up.

Collingwood last year became the fourth reigning premier to miss the finals in the past eight seasons, with Richmond’s three-peat in between the outlier and Dunkley’s Western Bulldogs kickstarting the pattern in 2017.

“That was a long time ago, my second season,” Dunkley said of the Bulldogs’ 2016 crown.

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“We have talked about it, knowing a few sides have been through it. But it’s just on us. It’s our responsibility; everyone here at the club wants to get to where we got to last year again and that starts this week.”

Harris Andrews trained fully after missing Thursday’s pre-season game due to illness, while Lachie Neale, Jack Payne, Eric Hipwood, Callum Ah Chee, Hugh McCluggage and Lincoln McCarthy were on light duties but expected to train in Tuesday’s main session.

Defender Brandon Starcevich (concussion) is the only confirmed non-starter on Thursday from those not already on the longer-term injury list, with draftee Levi Ashcroft firming for his AFL debut.