The Brisbane Lions won’t get the opportunity to defend their NAB Cup premiership with the AFL introducing a new pre-season format in 2014.
Instead of having a modified round-robin competition culminating in a Grand Final, the pre-season will now feature 18 matches played consecutively across 18 days all around Australia, with every club to play two matches in preparation for the season ahead.
The Lions’ first NAB Challenge match will be played against Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium on Thursday 13 February, before the Club heads to Townsville on Sunday 23 February to face the Gold Coast SUNS.
The schedule gives Lions fans in Victorian and Northern Queensland an opportunity to see the team before the regular season kicks off.
The Club is also in the process of finalising arrangements for a potential intra-club match on the weekend of March 7-8.
Lions’ 2014 NAB Challenge matches
Match 1
Hawthorn vs. Brisbane Lions
Thursday February 13
Etihad Stadium
19:10 EDT
Match 2
Brisbane Lions vs. Gold Coast SUNS
Sunday February 23
Townsville
15:40 EST (16:40 EDT)
FULL NAB CHALLENGE FIXTURE
Lions pre-season matches
The Lions will play pre-season games in Melbourne and Townsville
