ONGOING concerns over the hardness of the Gabba surface have seen the Brisbane Lions move Saturday night's curtain-raiser to their suburban training ground.
The Lions reserves will now play their QAFL match against the Western Magpies at Coorparoo, ensuring the Gabba is in best possible condition for Brisbane's Round 10 AFL clash with Collingwood.
The Gabba will be fully watered for the surface to be softer than usual after the perennial ground debate flared again this month.
Fitness worries for star forwards Jonathan Brown and Brendan Fevola, as well as serious injuries to Jared Brennan (ankle) and Josh Drummond (knee) have highlighted the concerns.
Geelong coach Mark Thompson and Bulldogs mentor Rodney Eade have hit out at the hardness of the ground and empathised with the Lions over their long injury list.
"I'd hate to be Brisbane and playing at the Gabba all the time," Eade said after their Round 4 loss.
"We played up there and we were all pretty sore from it."
The reserves switch was made following discussions between the club, the AFL and Stadiums Queensland, which manages the venue.
Curtain-raisers may become a thing of the past for the Gabba with the club considering its options for future reserves matches.
