Lachie Neale knew his All-Australian snub was coming, the Brisbane Lions midfielder admitting he does "keep receipts" in an ominous warning before the side's home AFL qualifying final against Port Adelaide.
The co-captain missed out on a fourth blazer last week, teammate Charlie Cameron the only Lion to win All-Australian honours in a 17-6 season good enough for second.
Brisbane enter as the competition's best clearance team, averaging almost seven more than their opponents across the season.
Neale weathered close attention to play every game in the regular season, his 8.1 clearances per contest two better than his career average.
"I probably knew maybe a month out when (All-Australian voting panellists) Cornsey (Kane Cornes) and I think it was Bucks (Nathan Buckley) said I wasn't in very good form," Neale said ahead of Saturday's Gabba clash.
"Keep receipts? Sometimes.
"When you get to my age and experience you take little pieces of things to find motivation and keep you going.
"That's all part of it; I've been around long enough to not let those decisions and accolades impact me.
"To finish second on the ladder and only have one All-Australian; I think it's actually a positive."
Brisbane carry a 3-6 finals record under coach Chris Fagan into this year's series but it's an arena Neale has relished.
His 39 disposals, 15 clearances and a crucial late tackle in a narrow defeat of Richmond in last year's elimination final was hailed as "one of the great finals games you'll ever see" by Fagan.
"He's a pretty good player, isn't he?," retiring teammate Daniel Rich said of Neale.
Rich said his 30-year-old colleague would "probably give back his Brownlow Medal to hold up the cup".
"He really thrives on those big games, those big finals moments," he said.
"I'm excited to see what those big calves can do come September and would love to see him up on the dais."
The Power finished with the same record as Brisbane and surprised the Lions in an impressive round-one defeat in Adelaide.
The Lions are settled and will regain Lincoln McCarthy (calf), with the major selection questions resting with the Power as Charlie Dixon (foot), Scott Lycett (knee) and Trent McKenzie (knee) push their cases to return.
Brisbane have not lost at the Gabba all season and would host the preliminary final there if they win on Saturday.
"We're confident in our football and this year more than ever we're playing good football against good teams," Neale said.
"More than ever the belief is strong in this group."
