Bulls great Longley helps fuel Lions' bid for three straight flags

Brisbane's push for three AFL premierships in a row got a lift from an unexpected quarter: basketball great Luc Longley.

The Lions meet Fremantle in the grand final — the one-game decider for the season — on Saturday. It is their fourth decider in a row. Win it and they take a third straight flag, the prize for winning the league. ABC Sport

Several Brisbane players told ABC Sport that a July catch-up with Longley helped sharpen their focus for the run home.

Longley knows about repeating. The Fremantle-born centre was the first Australian signed to the NBA when he joined Minnesota in 1991. He went on to win three championships with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls from 1996 to 1998. He later worked as an assistant coach with Australia's Boomers men's team.

The timing mattered for Brisbane. The Lions sat at six wins and six losses after 12 games this season. They had steadied with five wins on the trot before they spoke to Longley ahead of their Round 18 game against West Coast in July.

Forward Cam Rayner said Longley's message cut through. His point was simple: find the hunger again after you have already won. That idea stuck as Brisbane chased a third straight flag.

Midfielder Jarrod Berry said another part stayed with him. Longley spoke about getting more joy from watching teammates thrive than from being the star himself.

There is a twist in the tale. Longley grew up in Fremantle. He was the Dockers' number one ticketholder in 2006 and 2007. Now his advice could help deny them a premiership on Saturday.

History is also in play. Brisbane is trying to become only the sixth club to win three consecutive V/AFL premierships. No team has done it since Hawthorn from 2013 to 2015. ABC Sport

What makes this stand out is the fit. Basketball and footy look different. The lesson travels well. Stay hungry. Share the load. Trust the man next to you.

It has worked before. Jordan's Bulls won three in a row twice in the 1990s, with Longley in the middle for the second run. Brisbane wants that same habit. That is easier said than done after two flags and a long season.

For fans, this means Saturday is more than Lions versus Dockers. It is a champion team trying to stay hungry against a challenger with nothing to lose. And a Fremantle kid may have helped shape both sides of the story.