The Roar Deal

Now this is a much nicer way to start the Easter long weekend!

After two years of Easter Thursday deflation, the Lions have made a statement against Collingwood to even the ledger to 2-2 as we enter April.

There are so many storylines in the wash-up: Sam Draper’s domination, Oscar Allen finding form, Kiddy Coleman back to his best already, Will Ashcroft the new midfield leader - it’s hard to know quite where to begin with a win that good.

And just like Mike Whiting will be doing with his beloved hot cross buns in the coming days, we’ve got an extra long weekend to savour it.

This week on the podcast:

-Kylie Minogue’s link to the Lions (and why it’s a promising sign for the three-peat)

-A possible new identity for Chris Fagan in the rap world

-Who would win in a game between the 2024 & 2025 Premiership sides?

And much more!

The Roar Deal is sponsored by Kartable. As material, freight and input prices rise, join the Kartable conversation. A likeminded community for tradies, builders and suppliers to manage pricing, partnerships and solutions. Head to kartable.com.au/roardeal

For the first time since September 27, we’re back on the winners list.

The timeslot was odd and the rivalry was unconventional, so it probably shouldn’t be any great shock that the game itself was very weird too.

At any rate, the 2026 campaign is now off and running, with a last quarter crusade showing the best of Brisbane and ensuring we can avoid the pain of a zero-three start.

We have very little time to reflect, though, with the Collingwood clash rapidly approaching.

The last two Easter Thursdays have been horrendous starts to the long weekend for all Lions fans, and with even more disruption in defence, it’s going to take a special effort to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself this week too.

This week on the podcast:

-How do we solve the latest round of problems in defence?  

-A deep dive into our form at the Gabba

-What will happen to the AFL if Australia runs out of fuel?

And much more!

Sponsored by Kartable. As material, freight and input prices rise, join the Kartable conversation. A likeminded community for trades, builders and suppliers to manage pricing, partnerships and solutions. Head to kartable.com.au/roardeal

The Brisbane Lions have had many great rivalries over the years - Essendon at the beginning of the early 2000’s dynasty, Collingwood in the years that followed, Port Adelaide after the pain of 2004, and then a run of sides in recent years: Richmond, Melbourne, Geelong, and, at long last, the Gold Coast too.

And now, apparently, it’s time for St Kilda.

This might just be one of the weirdest rivalries we’ve seen, but there does seem to be some genuine spice in it, following the long-running anti-Academy campaign from the Saints and the war of words over the summer.

And this Saturday at Marvel Stadium, at the bright and early time of 12:35pm in Victoria, footy’s two new big rivals will go head-to-head, both needing a win after slow starts to the season.

This week on the podcast:

-Saints diehard Charlie Clausen joins us to preview footy’s newest rivalry

-Which footy icon did Dom see on his Saturday run?

-Chris Fagan’s influence on the Matilda’s match

And much more!

Increase your purchasing power - join the Kartable tradie community at kartable.com.au/roardeal

It’s only the middle of March, but the panic is here.

After a shocker in Sydney, the stakes are starting to feel heightened already.

With another twenty-one games to go in a very long 2026 season, we can afford to lose no more than four of them if we want to finish in the top four.

17-4 is a big ask in any circumstances, let alone when you’re the reigning premiers and have the entire competition breathing down your neck.

Thankfully, the early season bye has given us a brief deep breath to take stock and reload, but the back-to-back premiership glow we’ve been enjoying over the summer is starting to feel like a distant memory.  

This week on the podcast:

-Is the Kiddy/Zorko backline combination working?

-Behind the scenes of afl.com.au's Return of the Pride podcast

-Dom's pitch for what Mike should do if the Lions complete the hat trick

And much more!

Increase your purchasing power - join the Kartable tradie community at kartable.com.au/roardeal

We’re only one game into the 2026 season, and yet we’ve already seen a shock debut, a big-name injury scare, three MRO dramas, a high-quality blockbuster and a down to the wire heartbreaking loss.

It’s been almost an entire season’s worth of drama already! Not that we have much time to look back, though, with a red-hot Sydney awaiting, and a bunch of reinforcements needing to be called upon already.

This week on the Roar Deal, we talk through all the drama of the Bulldogs season opener along with the team changes that will be needed for this week’s trip to the SCG.

Also this week:

-The overwhelming response to the revamped club song

-The first Roar Deal Medal votes for 2026

-We go through your nickname suggestions for Cody Curtin

And much more!

This year, we are so grateful to be supported by Kartable - a trade procurement platform created by one of the Roar Deal family. For tasks or projects big or small, head to Kartable for your material or service needs. kartable.com.au/roardeal

Autumn is here, the Gabba goal posts are up, and it’s time to unfurl another flag.

On the last Saturday of September last year, a fourth quarter avalanche sealed the club’s fifth flag since the merger. This weekend, on the first Saturday of March, we begin the quest for our sixth.

And we have one of the biggest Roar Deal episodes of all time to launch season 2026.

Coming up on the podcast this week:

-We preview the massive season opener against the Bulldogs and the drama of our first team selection for 2026

-The club’s General Manager of Footy, Danny Daly, joins us to talk through injuries, selection dilemmas, and a sneaky question about Zac Bailey’s contract

-One of the best video editors in the country - Alex Cottier - the man behind last year’s AFL.com.au premiership documentary Pound The Rock - joins us ahead of this Wednesday night’s launch of 22 Days, the AFL website’s 2025 Premiership documentary

-The crystal ball makes its first appearance for 2026

-After months of work in the studios, we have the premiere of the revamped Brisbane Lions club song

And much more!

Plus, we are so excited to welcome Kartable on board as our new sponsor for the 2026 season!

Kartable is a trade procurement platform, effortlessly bringing vendor and trades together for material and service: engaging, planning & purchasing. There is a solution for you. Jump in and make your free profile today at kartable.com.au/roardeal - or reach out to James direct ([email protected]) to learn how Kartable can support your business.

After another summer spent basking, footy is just about upon us again. Next Saturday night (assuming no cyclones form between now and then), the Lions will unfurl the Premiership flag for the second consecutive year, before kicking off the 2026 AFL season against the Western Bulldogs.

We’ve had one dose of pre-season footy already in last week’s hit-out against Carlton, and there’s still one to come before the real stuff gets underway, with the Suns heading to Brighton Homes Arena for Thursday night’s fixture.

This week on the podcast:

-The club’s #1 ticket holder Dan Anstey joins us again

-Who will get the final wing spot for Opening Round?

-We’ve found some incredible Fitzroy audio from the archives

And much more!

In a very special edition of the Roar Deal, Ursula Fagan joins us in studio to share her story and her perspective on the rise of the Lions.

It began with a brief comment from Chris Fagan on a pre-season podcast for the AFL website. It’s ended with an all-out media war between two football clubs.

It’s a rivalry that hasn’t had much heat in it since Mal Michael and Chris Scott targeted an injured Nick Riewoldt in 2005, but courtesy of an interview by the Roar Deal’s own Michael Whiting, the tensions between Brisbane and St Kilda have boiled over in a big way.  

Today on the podcast, we’ll talk through the salary saga that has captivated the footy world with the man who found himself at the centre of it all.

And, with less than a month to go now until our Opening Round clash against the Bulldogs, we’ll also talk a bit more about the selection squeeze following last Friday’s intraclub out at Brighton Homes Arena.

Also this week:

-Will State of Origin work?

-An enormous update in Dom’s marathon mission

-How many captains will the Lions have in 2026?

And much more!

At the beginning of 2003, the second Lord Of The Rings Movie had just been released in cinemas, John Howard was Prime Minister, and Leigh Matthews’ Brisbane Lions side set out on their quest for a third successive premiership, hoping to become the first side since Melbourne 50 years earlier to complete the hat trick.

23 years later, as the 2026 AFL season draws near, we’re all hoping history might be about to repeat itself. Welcome to the Roar Deal as we kick things off for a new year, with the quest for an extraordinary and barely believable piece of history just about to begin.

This week on the show:

-Kiddy's peak fitness, Linc's positional shift and other pre-season reports

-Our 2026 season predictions

-Dom's doing the marathon

And much more!