Adamant Richmond can win the flag from seventh in their AFL finals return, Damien Hardwick has hailed this season the best he's been involved in as a coach.
Winners in three of the last five seasons, the Tigers will end a one-year finals hiatus at the Gabba in Thursday's elimination final against Brisbane.
Darcy Wilmot will debut for Brisbane while Jarryd Lyons (groin) was a surprise omission on Wednesday night, as was retiring Richmond veteran Shane Edwards to make way for the fit-again Dustin Martin.
While the Tigers are surging the Lions have plateaued, limping into September in sixth after leading the ladder midway through the season.
Brisbane's 1-5 finals record over the last three years has been the subject of much scrutiny, their solitary victory ironically against the Tigers in their 2020 premiership year.
Injuries, suspensions and a comprehensive final-round loss to defending champions Melbourne have reduced the Lions to rank flag outsiders with bookies.
But Hardwick said the nature of this season and even the Western Bulldogs' charge from seventh to win the 2016 title created genuine belief in every remaining team.
That's despite Richmond never winning a finals game when finishing outside the top four.
"It's been a hell of a season; I don't reckon there's been a better season since I've been a coach," said Hardwick, who took the Tigers' reins in 2010.
"The competition's getting more and more even and (to win) you've got to be playing your best footy at the right time.
"We're one of the sides that feel our best footy is thereabouts at the moment, we'll give ourselves every chance.
"But every side will be wary of the other side they're coming up against."
The pre-finals bye has allowed Tigers gun Martin, Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams and Geelong forward Jeremy Cameron to overcome injuries and spearhead their teams' charges.
But the break backfired for the Bulldogs and Fremantle with Tom Liberatore and Nat Fyfe suffering crucial training setbacks for their respective teams.
Defending champions Melbourne host high-flying Sydney in Friday's qualifying final, humming after rediscovering their "ruthless edge" in a final-round flogging of the Lions, according to vice-captain Jack Viney.
Minor premiers and perennial contenders Geelong will look to put their own shaky finals record behind them against new comeback kings Collingwood at a sold-out MCG on Saturday.
Fyfe-less Fremantle will end a seven-year wait since their last final when they round out week one by hosting the Western Bulldogs at Perth's Optus Stadium.
