Brisbane defender Harris Andrews' impact on the high-flying Lions certainly isn't going unnoticed by his AFL teammates.
The Lions are challenging a one-game ban offered to Andrews after being cited for striking North Melbourne forward Nick Larkey in last Saturday's win at the Gabba.
The club has nothing to lose by challenging the ban given Andrews isn't risking a longer suspension if found guilty by the tribunal on Tuesday night.
They have plenty to gain, however, with fellow defender Darcy Gardiner saying the 22-year-old is simply "ginormous" for the second-placed Lions.
"Week-in, week-out you know what you're going to get," Gardiner said.
"He gets the job done.
"Not only does he manage to beat his opponent but he also is big in winning the ball back for us and helping us set up our offence and transition from defence."
The hard-fought win over the Kangaroos extended Brisbane's winning streak to five matches.
Not since the glory days of the Lions' triple-premiership era in the late-90s and early-2000s has the club won six or more matches on the spin.
Comparisons to that era are premature but as Gardiner approaches his 100th AFL game against Hawthorn in Tasmania this Saturday, the 23-year-old is only too aware of the progress the club has made in the past 12 months.
"It is new for us. We've haven't really been in this position for a while," he said.
"We obviously know what it's like to be on the other end of it. Not taking it for granted.
"We're a long way from where we were last year and we're extremely proud of it but there's still a lot of work to do."
Australian Associated Press
