It was right around this time of year that Jason Akermanis and Brisbane's champion team of the early 2000s would find another level.
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But Akermanis is yet to see that from the Lions' current crop and, coupled with their final-round AFL meltdown, can see why a 1-5 finals record over the last three seasons has eroded the trust of even their most rusted-on fans.
Speaking to AAP ahead of Thursday's elimination final against Richmond, the triple premiership player and Brownlow Medallist delivered a stinging critique of the side, particularly their assistant coaches and "number of players that seem to go missing in big names".
A loss there would worsen Chris Fagan's finals record with Brisbane to 1-6 during a period in which they've dominated the regular season.
One-point and three-point losses among those have ensured plenty of what-ifs, while every team they've faced in those three post-season campaigns have gone on to the grand final.
And their finals failings are not unique.
Hawthorn have lost in straight sets in their last two finals appearances since winning their third-straight flag in 2015, Essendon have lost their last seven dating back to 2004 and both Port Adelaide (2-7 before their 2004 title) and Geelong (1-5 after 2014 and 2-6 after 2016) have all endured periods of struggle.
It's why the criticism was labelled "simplistic" by Fagan after their one-point loss to the Western Bulldogs last season that sealed a second straight-sets exit inside three years.
But the record, along with their limp 58-point loss to the defending champion Melbourne in the final round, has left them vulnerable for examination.
"They've got a number of players that seem to go missing in big games," Akermanis told AAP.
"You can name names all day long ... they know five or six of them need to stop playing so poorly against big teams and in big games or they've got no chance."
He is frustrated by Fagan's assistants' unwillingness to experiment, adamant that Cam Rayner - suspended for the elimination final - and Zac Bailey should have seen more midfield time this season.
And he said Jarryd Lyons in particular needed to lift against the Tigers at the Gabba.
"There are some guys I'd argue shouldn't be in the team and they keep persevering with them and they keep serving up sub-standard bloody efforts," he said.
"They have some stars that need to be stars in these games; Hugh McCluggage has had a great season and I just want to see him have a super game.
"But the one that concerns me is Jarryd Lyons, who has not come up and played his best in big games."
Their loss to the Demons, as well as costly mid-season defeats to Essendon and Hawthorn, contributed to Brisbane dropping out of the top four and into sixth.
Should they beat Richmond, who will almost certainly welcome back Dustin Martin, it creates a potential path through Sydney or Melbourne and then Geelong or Fremantle just to reach the grand final.
With Rayner and Noah Answerth suspended and key defender Marcus Adams (concussion) also missing it's why they're suddenly equal-last favourites of the teams remaining to win the flag.
"We just had another level; week to week, round to round, we were never minor premiers but we knew we had a whole bunch who could go to the next stage," Akermanis said of his old side's mentality.
"And that's where the great unknown is; for the paying public I think the trust in what the players can do and deliver has just gone down a bit.
"They've shown their best footy is the best in the comp. It just needs to be done at the right time.
"They've been waiting all year to prove themselves in finals, they know that and everyone knows that."
Star midfielder Lachie Neale won't argue.
"You get what you deserve in this game and at the moment people are writing us off because of our performances, which is fine," he said.
"We have an inner belief we can still do some real damage this September and we'll embrace that underdog status."
As for their finals form, Neale can run through their last four years and explain why their record isn't as bad as it looks.
"But if you look at the facts we're 1-5, which doesn't get it done, so we know we've got to be better in those big games for sure," he said.
"We've been around the mark for a number of years now and I still feel like our best is capable of beating everyone."
BRISBANE'S FINALS FLOPS
* 2019 (second, 16-6)
Lost to Tigers by 47 points, lost to Giants by three points
* 2020 (second, 14-3)
Beat Tigers by 15 points, lost to Cats by 40 points.
* 2021 (fourth, 15-7)
Lost to Demons by 33 points, lost to Bulldogs by one point
* 2022 (sixth, 15-7)
Play the Tigers on Thursday
Australian Associated Press