Geelong Cats vs Brisbane Lions Prediction: Cats have to do more than enough to win

Geelong Cats vs Brisbane Lions Prediction and Odds on the Match on September 05, 2025

The Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the second playoff encounter of the 2025 Australian Football League. This game will see the Geelong Cats take on Brisbane Lions in a fierce battle. The two teams ended the regular season on a strong note with just two points separating each side. Which team gets into the next round? Let’s get straight into the previews of this game and offer predictions. 

Geelong Cats: Form and Statistics

Geelong Cats enjoyed one of the best finishes in the final games of the regular season and will hope they replicate that again. In their last encounters, this team picked straight five wins where they defeated Sydney Cats, North Melbourne, Essendon Bombers, Kilda Saints and the Richmond Tigers. In those encounters, this team scored 100 points having lost only two of their last fourteen games. 

Geelong Cats Team News and Lineup

The Geelong Cats are in good shape with more or less any injury to be worried about. After missing the final game of the regular season against Richmond Tigers due to suspension, Shannon Neale is expected to join the team list against the Lions. Meanwhile, Toby Conway remains injured and won’t be ready for this game. However, Cam Guthrie, Mitch Duncan and Ollie Henry are the key names expected to lead the Geelong Cats after they also featured in the Victorian Football League last week. 

Geelong Cats Team List

B: Z.Guthrie, J.Henry, C.O’Sullivan

HB: L.Humphries, T.Stewart, O.Mullin

C: M.Blicavs, M.Holmes, O.Dempsey

HF: B.Close, S.Mannagh, T.Stengle

F: S.Neale, J.Cameron, P.Dangerfield - C

FOLL: S.De Koning, B.Smith, T.Atkins

I/C: M.O’Connor, G.Miers, J.Clark, J.Bowes, J.Martin

EMG: J.Bews, M.Knevitt, O.Henry

In: S.Neale, M.O’Connor, J.Clark

Out: R.Stanley (Injured), M.Knevitt (Omitted), J.Bews (Omitted)

Brisbane Lions: Form and Statistics

The Brisbane Lions will now begin their title defense in this fixture and hope things go their way. In their last encounters, this team suffered two defeats against the Sydney Swans and Gold Coast Suns but ended the season with consecutive wins over Hawthorn Hawks and Fremantle Dockers. 

Brisbane Lions Team News and Lineup

Lachie Neale is expected to be back for this team while Jarrod Berry is another name who should shake off his injury despite dislocating his shoulder in Round 23 against Fremantle Dockers.

Brisbane Lions Team List

B: D.Zorko, D.Gardiner, R.Lester

HB: D.Wilmot, H.Andrews - C, B.Starcevich

C: H.McCluggage, L.Neale, J.Berry

HF: C.Cameron, S.Day, Z.Bailey

F: C.Rayner, L.Morris, C.Ah Chee

FOLL: D.Fort, J.Dunkley, W.Ashcroft

I/C: K.Lohmann, J.Fletcher, L.Ashcroft, S.Marshall, T.Gallop

EMG: B.Reville, D.Joyce, O.McInerney

In: L.Neale, J.Berry

Out: B.Reville (Omitted), J.Tunstill (Omitted)

Geelong Cats vs Brisbane Lions Head-Head Statistics

The two meetings between the Geelong Cats and Brisbane Lions this season ended in the Lions’ favour. Meanwhile, the Geelong Cats have only one of the last six encounters of this fixture, coming in the round 4 of the 2024 season. 

Geelong Cats vs Brisbane Lions Betting Tips & Odds

• This fixture has been known for producing fewer points with only one of the last five encounters ending with high points. However, with the importance of this fixture, we might experience a different outcome with over 165.5 at 1.52 on 1Xbet bookmaker.
• The Geelong Cats have scored at least 100 points in each of their last five games. The visiting team has a working offense and has a chance to score over 77.5 points with odds at 1.40 on 1Xbet.
• The Brisbane Lions have been tagged underdogs in this fixture surprisingly. However, the Lions have had an incredible run in this fixture with a win in four of the last five games of this fixture. The bookies are offering a 2.20 odds for the last season league winners on Betway.
• With six straight wins into this post season, it is clear the Geelong Cats are on an incredible run. The hosts have been tagged favourites with their winning odds at 1.65 on Bet365.

Geelong Cats vs Brisbane Lions Match Prediction 05 September 2025

I like the Geelong Cats and what they have done this season is incredible. However, the Brisbane Lions are not far from what we have seen this season from the Cats even though they struggled a number of times in the final five games of the season. While the Geelong Cats finished the season with a winning run of more than five, we can expect them to come into this game with their spirit being high while they are spirited heavily. Yet, the Brisbane Lions seem to understand how to get their way in this fixture after they have now won each of the last meetings of this fixture. While the Cats should go head to head as favourites, I believe the last year's winners, Brisbane Lions, understand how to get things done rightly in postseason games and that should push them to the next round. 

Our match prediction is +13.5 points for the Brisbane Lions with odds at 1.60 on 1Xbet bookmaker. 

Our betting tip is over 170.5 points at the end of full time with odds at 1.89 on Bet365 bookmaker. 

Our final match prediction is a win for the Brisbane Lions with odds at 2.20 on Betway bookmaker.