Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has backed star midfielder Hugh McCluggage to thrive against a hard Geelong tag in the Lions' third-straight grand final.

McCluggage (37 possessions, 10 clearances and a goal) starred in the Lions' 15.10 (100) to 11.5 (71) preliminary final triumph over Collingwood.

The 27-year-old was also best-on-ground in Brisbane's semi-final QClash thumping of Gold Coast last week.

But it was a completely different story in the qualifying final, when McCluggage was shut out of the contest by Geelong tagger Oisin Mullin.

McCluggage's 14 disposals in the 38-point defeat to the Cats was his leanest output in any game since round one, 2023.

He attracted some attention from Magpies veteran Steele Sidebottom after running free against the Suns, but managed to rise above it.

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