Chris Fagan has turned to basketball guru Phil Smyth for advice as Brisbane seek to conquer Geelong after a five-day AFL turnaround.
Fagan's side have gone from strength to strength this season but Thursday night's clash with the Cats at the SCG will be their first game outside Queensland since the COVID-19 shutdown.
It will also be the Lions' shortest break between games, coming after a six-day turnaround between their wins over Adelaide and Port Adelaide.
Further short turnarounds are expected throughout the competition as the AFL begins to get creative as it seeks to squeeze in the abbreviated season despite various coronavirus restrictions.
Smyth won three NBL championships as a player and then coached Adelaide to three titles, mastering a relatively hectic schedule compared to what AFL clubs are accustomed to.
"I had a good chat to Phil Smyth," Fagan told reporters.
"Basketball teams play on short turnarounds all the time.
"Your preparation's a little bit different and you're more in recovery mode, so we're ready for whatever comes our way.
"Five-day turnarounds are quite unusual, you don't do them all that often.
"But it's a similar turnaround for Geelong, they played on Saturday.
"We're both travelling, it's equal."
Fagan, never afraid to look outside his sport's bubble, recently picked the brain of national cricket coach Justin Langer as the Lions prepared to enter a NSW hub.
Smyth was part of AFL club Adelaide's recruitment panel that helped find their new coach after Don Pyke's departure in 2019.
A mutual friend put the former Boomers star and Fagan in touch.
Smyth did some work with the Lions as a consultant last year and the arrangement would have continued in 2020 - if not for the club being forced to cut costs because of COVID-19.
"We haven't been able to have those nice extras but I've still chatted to him on the phone regularly," Fagan said.
"He's been really helpful for us."
Australian Associated Press
