TONIGHT at Telstra Dome, Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews will coach game No. 447. It's a job he's been doing for 20 years.

Four times, he has triumphed as a premiership coach. He is obviously hoping and believing it will happen again. Why else, at the age of 56, would you continue to push yourself to the limits, as Matthews does, when you have achieved everything the game has to offer? Malcolm Blight is a dual premiership coach who is not much older than Leigh, but he relaxes and enjoys life in far north Queensland, as he has for several years.

Matthews could be doing that, too. After steering the Lions to their third consecutive premiership (2001-2003), the coach could have basked in the glorious northern sun and shone as the King of Queensland.

I believe Matthews, as the face of the AFL in Queensland, realised that despite the three premierships, much work needed to be done to consolidate Australian football in the northern outpost. He knew he had a special team led by a special captain in Michael Voss, and the redevelopment of the Gabba and the increase in members and sponsorship were all pluses, but this was a team riding the crest of a wave. When the wave crashed, which it ultimately did, it was crucial to rebuild positively to keep the crowds coming and the interest bubbling in a city long dominated by other football codes.

So Matthews rolled his sleeves up and got to work. Ageing, injured champions were thanked for their contributions and moved on.

In tonight's game, only seven members of Brisbane's team are premiership players. In the past three seasons (2005-2007), Matthews has introduced 26 young players to senior football. This is way and above all other teams in the competition. And all these youngsters are expected to play the Matthews way. That the body must be kept in line with the ball and the eyes fixed on — and the head over — the leather are non-negotiable. In other words, if you don't play with courage, you don't play. You have to have a fierce appetite for the contest, must be able to win your own contested ball and must be able to tackle with ferocity and intent. Kicking long and running hard to crumb are also highly valued, as is the ability to play tight, accountable football.

Six years ago, the Lions were in their prime. They were the best football team that I had seen. The back line — led by Justin Leppitsch, the Scott twins, Chris Johnson and Marcus Ashcroft — was the most experienced defence ever fielded, with the average games played being around the 200 mark. Now they are all gone.

Matthews' back half now averages 40 games each and is led by Daniel Merrett, Joel Macdonald and Joel Patfull — hardly household names but perhaps one day they will be. That is the plan.

The coach is into his 10th year at the helm. He won't coach elsewhere. His no-nonsense, commonsense, honest approach makes him the elder statesman of the AFL. Many thought that Michael Voss would replace him, perhaps even Vossy himself thought as much. But with a new team to start up on the Gold Coast and with the veteran coach still having the fire in the belly, why should it change?

Matthews gives the Lions enormous credibility and pulling power with sponsors, supporters and media. His teams are always competitive. He is smart enough to keep changing the coaching assistants to bring in fresh blood and ideas. A win over Carlton tonight would put the Lions at four-four and well in the mix. Brisbane has beaten the Blues in its past seven contests by an average of eight goals. But as the old coach would well know, back then there was no in-form Fev, nor a bloke called Judd.