Lions FC & Brisbane Roar To Play For Heritage Shield

Sixty years ago, a group of Dutch immigrants formed the Hollandia-Inala Soccer Club and from those foundations, present day clubs Lions FC and Brisbane Roar emerged. To celebrate those humble beginnings, Lions Head Coach Warren Moon's Flight Centre Premier League title contenders will host Brisbane Roar in a pre-season match for the Hyundai A-League side on Tuesday 25th July. The game will also double as the Hertiage Shield to mark the clubs' 60th Anniversary. Earlier today, Roar Coach John Aloisi and club captain Matt McKay joined Warren Moon and keeper Luke Borean at the Starlight Children's Foundation's Starlight Express Room at the Lady Cilento Hospital, to which all proceeds raised on the night of the game will be donated to Starlight in support of the great work they do with ill and injured children in Queensland and across Australia.

The Heritage Shield was on display as some of the children attending the hospital got to meet the players and coaches and ask them questions, as well as receiving signed posters. Asked whether such a game could impact on their season and premiership aspirations, Warren Moon remarked, "Absolutely there's a risk but you never turn down games to play the Roar. We'd like to help them as part of their preparation for the Hyundai A-League season. It's more about us supporting them than trying to get the 'scalp'.

He added, "We're going to give the young players an opportunity to play them, but we are going to treat the game with the respect it deserves for them as they want a proper hit out; so we'll use the full squad for this game." Roar Coach John Aloisi, when asked what he hopes to achieve from the game, replied, "It's important for us to work on what we've been doing so far. We've only been going for two and half weeks but we've already started working on our structures, in possession and out of possession, so we'll look at that very closely." He added, "The boys are a bit heavy as they've been training quite hard. It will be there first match and we'll want to gain a bit of match rhythm and we know it will be a good test as Lions have been playing and are in their season; they play good football and that's what we like. We're expecting a good hit out and it will help prepare us for the Melbourne Victory Westfield FFA Cup game." Roar captain Matt McKay, along with current Lions coach Warren Moon, were a couple of the foundation players for Brisbane Roar (Queensland Roar in the early seasons of the Hyundai A-League) and McKay remembers the early days fondly at the Richlands venue. McKay said, "Obviously there's the history of where it all started. I've got fond memories of the first few seasons out at Richlands, the training group and the squad. We had some great times out there and of course, Warren Moon was part of that foundation squad as well." He concluded, "Going back there to play for a trophy will hopefully continue that relationship and be a positive." It's highly unlikely Roar will field new marquee signing Massimo Maccarone for the game but they will undoubtedly be looking to get a solid pre-season hit out against Lions and it's hoped the Heritage Shield will become an annual event between the two clubs.