Ex-Lion lifts lid on 'bad blood' in simmering feud

Recently-retired Lion Mitch Robinson has admitted to determination being "a spot of atrocious blood" betwixt Brisbane and Melbourne arsenic the 2 heavyweights hole to fastener horns this weekend.

The Lions and Demons person been progressive successful a fig of feisty clashes implicit the past 12 months, with Brisbane sending the then-reigning premiers packing successful past year's finals series.

Robinson played the relation of main antagonist for overmuch of his 247-game AFL vocation earlier retiring astatine the extremity of past season, and explained wherefore there's animosity betwixt the 2 sides.

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"There's conscionable been a spot of atrocious humor ... for astir 3 oregon 4 years we've been going backmost and forth," Robinson said connected SENQ Mornings.

Clayton Oliver and Jarrod Berry got into a heated tussle during past year's semi last clash betwixt the 2 teams (Getty)

"On field, results don't truly matter, it was conscionable the mode we some went astir our footy. They won a expansive final, they've been up determination and person beaten america successful last — that's benignant of been our happening against them.

"They've ever had that benignant of — not smugness oregon thing similar that — but you tin conscionable archer they deliberation they're amended than us.

"So, this week is simply a large crippled for the Brisbane Lions, but we got the past laughter successful the finals past twelvemonth against them.

"Hopefully they travel up present and bring immoderate animosity and we person a large game."

One of the astir contentious incidents successful the Melbourne-Brisbane rivalry came astatine the backmost extremity of past play erstwhile a sledge from then-Lions skipper Dayne Zorko near Demons defender Harrison Petty successful tears connected the field.

Harrison Petty is consoled by Mark Williams and Troy Chaplin aft copping a brutal sledge past play (Seven)

Robinson suggested that the sledging had not been each 1 mode from his teammate.

"That was heavy publicised what went connected determination — Zorko apologised and helium whitethorn person overstepped the mark," helium said.

"For players and being capable to springiness your broadside of the story, sometimes you conscionable person to wound your lingua and bash what's bully for your sponsors and bully for the image.

"Zorko could person travel retired consecutive distant and said: 'Look, these guys were into maine each time speaking astir my relationships, my household oregon whatever', but helium didn't bash that, helium took the precocious roadworthy and said: 'Look I apologised for what I said', and we got connected with it.

"He didn't privation to adhd much substance to the fire."

The 2 sides volition reacquaint themselves astatine the Gabba connected Friday night, with Brisbane looking to unfastened its relationship for 2023 aft a disappointing circular 1 loss.

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