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AAP
Murray Wenzel

Let's dance: Fagan's Lions revert to footloose footy

With a spring back in Brisbane's step, Chris Fagan's Lions are looking forward to facing GWS. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

The dancing boots are back on the Brisbane Lions' feet as they head to Sydney pledging to play with freedom in a crunch AFL semi-final.

Greater Western Sydney will host Chris Fagan's side on Saturday night, the winner through to an MCG preliminary final against Geelong.

The Giants are slight favourites after finishing one spot ahead of the Lions in fourth, thanks largely to a comeback win against them in round 22 at the Gabba.

That loss, as well as a similar slip against Collingwood a week later, cost Brisbane a top-four spot and has left them seeking to become just the second team to win from the bottom four since the finals format changed at the turn of the century.

It's why Fagan insists his side don't have a "hell of a lot to lose", especially after recovering from 13th with just four wins from their first 11 games.

It was at that point Fagan put to his side: "If you're walking on thin ice, you may as well dance".

It resonated and they responded to win their next nine games.

The coach, noticeably upbeat and cracking jokes during Thursday's captain's run press conference at the Gabba, said they had revisited that chat later in the season.

"When we played the Giants and Collingwood we were back to trying too hard," he said.

"We'd moved away from that, 'walking on thin ice, you may as well dance' thing.

"(We) started to become too aware of where we were on the ladder and playing to protect our spot, rather than prior to that with a bit of freedom and a 'see what happens' attitude.

"We'll continue on down that path because we don't feel like we've got a hell of a lot to lose (because) we came from a long way back to play finals.

Brisbane jumped out of the blocks against Carlton last week, scoring the first 60 points of the game to rewrite finals records before registering a 28-point victory.

The Giants led their Sydney rivals for most of their SCG contest before losing by six points.

The Lions named Jack Payne (knee) to face the Giants - his assignment will likely be containing Coleman Medallist Jesse Hogan - after the key defender ran freely on Thursday.

GWS made just one change, with young forward Toby McMullin dropped to make way for the return of fit-again tagger Toby Bedford (calf).

Meanwhile, Lions midfielder Jarryd Lyons has announced he will retire at the end of the finals series.

Lyons has managed just three games this season, the last being the 26-point loss to Geelong on April 20.

The 32-year-old started his career at Adelaide (55 games), spent two seasons at Gold Coast for 37 games and notched 102 games for the Lions since arriving at the end of 2018.

"My career was at a bit of a crossroads and this club gave me a lifeline," Lyons said of his move to Brisbane.

"It could have just been a fledgling 100-game career, but you turned it into something that I am incredibly proud of."

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