‘I owe them’: The heartbreaking setbacks fuelling Lions’ comeback warriors

These are the “hard luck” stories that have ensured the Brisbane Lions have never lost their hunger for sustained success, and transformed them from hapless cellar dwellers to premiership juggernauts throughout the past decade.

For all the plateaus this outfit have scaled en route to a fourth-straight grand final against Fremantle this Saturday, injuries have prevented many key members from featuring at this stage of the season.

Last year, Eric Hipwood (ACL) and Jarrod Berry (shoulder) were among those names, having hoisted the trophy in 2024.

“I wouldn’t say I ever feared it was going to be my last chance because I have so much faith and belief in this group. But it definitely drove me throughout the off season,” Berry admitted.

“I had my shoulder [surgery] done, and with the mundane nature of rehab, it gave me a bit of a driving factor.”

Hipwood added: “I was still able to see my best mates win a grand final, and I wouldn’t want to see anything else.”

While the pair tasted ultimate glory two years ago, Jack Payne and Keidean Coleman have missed the chance more often than not.

Payne missed the 2025 campaign’s title run after suffering a left patellar tendon tear, and surgery on the issue in February cost the defender his 2026 season.

Coleman, meanwhile, arguably went within a goal of being the 2023 Norm Smith Medal winner, only for Collingwood to break Brisbane hearts, and has missed the two premiership wins due to recurring issues with a ruptured ACL sustained in the opening round of 2024, as well as a quad strain.

The 26-year-old played just two games in the two years following, and has been limited to just 13 this season after hamstring and concussion concerns. While he has proven his fitness, he has not taken the field since the round 23 defeat to Carlton.

“They come in here and bring so much energy, and it does give guys getting the opportunity a bit of a kick. I’ll be out there playing for those guys, having been in their position last year,” Berry said.

“I know how much it hurts. I do feel for them, but ... who knows what happens there? Potentially there’s a really good-luck story coming. I feel a responsibility that I owe them to go out and play with massive effort and do it for them.”

Hipwood added: “There’s always a fairytale in sport, and there’s always a hard-luck story in sport. In the last few years they’ve been that hard-luck story, but I’m fully aware – and I saw this last year with my own eyes – it takes much more than the 23 players out there to win a premiership.”

Having attained so much success in the past four years, questions have been asked from outside the Lions’ four walls whether they still had the hunger needed to emerge victorious by season’s end.