IF THERE were any doubts how Brisbane would cover the absence of injured two-time Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, the midfield trio of Hugh McCluggage, Josh Dunkley and Will Ashcroft were having none of it.

While the Lions beat Fremantle and Hawthorn in the final fortnight of the home and away season to lock in a top-four spot without their superstar midfielder, the question still lingered, externally at least: could they survive without him under the finals spotlight?

Confronting a Gold Coast engine room led by red-hot Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and Touk Miller would be the ultimate examination.

Well, it was meant to be.

However, unlike last time the teams met in round 20 when Gold Coast ran roughshod around the stoppages, kicking a mind-blowing 13 goals from clearances alone, Brisbane was a new team this time around.

Saddled by the tight checking of Geelong’s Oisin Mullin last week, and kept to just 14 disposals, McCluggage was back to his All-Australian best on Saturday night. And his teammates followed.

With most of his best work done in tight, McCluggage set the early tone with eight first-quarter disposals that included three centre clearances to give his team field position and an edge on the scoreboard.

“I just had to believe in what I’d done throughout the season, really,” McCluggage told AFL.com.au in Brisbane’s jubilant dressing-room following the 53-point win.

“I know that was an outlier last week and I could bounce back.

“It’s no secret to get your hands on the footy, but I had belief I could do it this week and play a lot better than last week, and the team was the same.

Dunkley was stationed alongside Rowell, an opponent he’d had plenty of success against prior to the last start shellacking at People First Stadium.

On that occasion, Rowell won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal for best afield with 37 disposals that included 15 clearances.

Dunkley was in no mood for a repeat dose.

Flinging himself at every contest, the man coach Chris Fagan described as the best defensive midfielder he’d seen during his lengthy time in the game, was at his two-way, inspirational best.

He had seven disposals and six tackles in the first quarter alone. Brisbane laid 22 tackles to Gold Coast’s seven in a clear indication their pressure was at its suffocating best.

If Dunkley wasn’t winning the ball himself, he was dragging down his opponent, affecting a finals-record 18 tackles by full-time, passing the previous mark held by former Cats champion Jimmy Bartel.

Rowell finished with 23 and six clearances, and although give his usual whole-hearted effort, simply didn’t have the same impact.

“That tackle count of 18 is phenomenal, isn’t it?” Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said.

“That’s Josh for you, one of the great blokes to coach he is. He wanted Rowell from early in the week. He got that job done because he felt like he didn’t get it done last time.”

Then there was Ashcroft, the young man sledged by the Suns during a pre-season game for, in their eyes, being lucky to have beaten Neale to a Norm Smith Medal last year.

The 21-year-old was the icing on the cake, changing the course of the semi-final with a blistering second quarter that included two seconds of genius that put a space in the contest.

With Jarrod Witts set to overpower Ty Gallop at a forward 50 stoppage, Ashcroft crossed paths with McCluggage to cause just a split second of indecision among Gold Coast’s midfielders.

Anderson trailed him by the narrowest of spaces, and the Lion Prince punished him, perfectly roving the Witts tap and throwing the ball on to his right boot before you could blink to split the sticks.

In a goal eerily reminiscent of his third-quarter effort against Sydney in last year’s Grand Final win, Ashcroft had ballooned Brisbane’s skinny one-point advantage to seven points.

He had nine disposals and two goals for the second quarter alone and suddenly the Lions led by 25 points. There was no looking back.

McCluggage filled his boots with 33 for the night, that included 10 clearances – both match highs.

The message for Collingwood is simple ahead of their preliminary final at the MCG next Saturday afternoon: let McCluggage run around at your own peril.

Ashcroft (28 and two goals) and Dunkley (20 and 18 tackles) were also incredible.

Neale’s absence cannot be underestimated – but neither can Brisbane’s resolve and quality of its midfield.