WHERE AND WHEN: Metricon Stadium, Saturday July 21, 4.40pm

LAST TIME: Brisbane Lions 17.9 (111) d Gold Coast 6.10 (46), round 4, 2012, at the Gabba

The fourth edition of the ‘QClash’ comes up on Saturday afternoon, with both sides in fairly different situations to their lineups when the Lions’ triumphed by 65 points in round 4.

The Lions’ slim finals chances have all but been shut down after a disappointing 13 point loss to St Kilda in round 16, while the Suns will be buoyant after finally claiming their first win of the season against Richmond in Darwin.

Karmichael Hunt’s after-the-siren goal to clench the win is sure to go down in Suns’ folklore and they’ll be hoping they can claim their first ever home win at Metricon.

The sparks were lit during the week as the Gold Coast Suns’ website put up a defaced picture of Lions’ player Daniel Rich, featuring MS Paint styled scribbles of devil horns and a beard on his face.

Lions’ player Jack Redden hit back, retorting “let the kids do their finger-painting, the men will play footy”.

The Suns will need a fast start like last weekend at TIO stadium and also enough left in the tank to run with the Lions towards the end of the game, where they have petered out in their last two clashes with Brisbane.

Important midfielders Daniel Rich (Brisbane) and Danny Stanley (Gold Coast) have been suspended, while players Patrick Karnezis (Brisbane) and Aaron Hall (Gold Coast) have been omitted.

For the Lions, high draft pick Jared Polec comes in to replace Rich, while versatile utility Ryan Lester comes in to replace Karnezis.

Meanwhile tall-forward Tom Lynch and utility Luke Russell come in for the Suns.

Guy McKenna has spoken of being involved in Western Derbies in the past and says there is always an extra bit of spite involved. Meanwhile Karmichael Hunt has said the derbies are ‘more for the fans’.

Either way it’ll be a match where the Gold Coast Suns at long odds may not be as far off the pace as the bookmakers have predicted. Still, one will find it hard to go past the Lions as they have been markedly improved in 2012.

Lions by 33.

Teams:

GOLD COAST SUNS

B: Maverick Weller, Charlie Dixon, Trent McKenzie
HB: Matt Shaw, Matthew Warnock, Jarrod Harbrow
C: David Swallow, Gary Ablett, Harley Bennell
HF: Liam Patrick, Tom Lynch, Brandon Matera
F: Luke Russell, Sam Day, Jared Brennan
Foll: Zac Smith, Karmichael Hunt, Michael Rischitelli
I/C: Campbell Brown, Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy, Josh Hall
Emg: Jackson Allen, Aaron Hall, Kyal Horsley
In: Luke Russell, Tom Lynch
Out: Daniel Stanley (suspension), Aaron Hall

BRISBANE LIONS

B: Ryan Harwood, Matt Maguire, Josh Drummond
HB: Jed Adcock, Joel Patfull, Pearce Hanley
C: Elliot Yeo, Simon Black, Ryan Lester
HF: Rohan Bewick, Jonathan Brown, Dayne Zorko
F: Aaron Cornelius, Todd Banfield, Daniel Merrett
Foll: Ben Hudson, Tom Rockliff, Andrew Raines
I/C: James Polkinghorne, Jack Redden, Jared Polec, Jack Crisp
Emg: Amon Buchanan, Claye Beams, Patrick Karnezis
In: Jared Polec, Ryan Lester
Out: Daniel Rich (suspension), Patrick Karnezis