They kicked six unanswered goals early in the third quarter but it didn’t make viewing any easier for Brisbane AFLW coach Craig Starcevich.

“I was hopeless,” the Lions mentor said of his nerves while watching his minor premiers attempt to reach a fourth grand final and win a second flag.

Two quick Adelaide goals didn’t help but Brisbane steadied, their insatiable workrate in defence shining through after some clinical offence set up a 23-point win on Friday at Metricon Stadium.

“The excitement around the group is enormous,” Starcevich said.

“They’ve worked so hard to get to this point; it’s been a long year, played 25, 26 games (across two seasons) so its been a pretty big year of footy.

“It would have been really disappointing tonight not to get this one out of the way and get to the next one and give yourself a chance of having a crack at winning it.”

The 2021 premiers lost tight deciders in the first two AFLW seasons in 2017 and 2018, while they were pipped in the preliminary final by potential grand-final opponents Melbourne in the first season.

The Lions’ new Springfield headquarters will host the November 27 decider after the freshly laid Michael Voss Oval surface was ticked off by the AFL just hours before Friday’s preliminary final.

It’s a boost for a side that feared a lack of venue options in their home state would see them lose home ground advantage should they reach the decider.

“We can at least now talk about it and focus on that now rather than be the distraction that it was,” the coach said of the venue conjecture.

“I know what they’ve been like just training out there (on a nearby field) the last month-and-half, so to get the chance to play there is super exciting.”

And their familiarity with the big stage – the Demons have one grand final appearance and fellow preliminary finalists North Melbourne have none – should also help.

“Hopefully it counts for something that they’ve been there before and know what the week looks like, more than the actual day,” Starcevich said.

“That’s the bit that’s going to be more helpful (handling the build-up) but it’s still exciting whatever way you cut it.”

– AAP