By Marco Monteverde

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Fort, 32, made eight appearances in a three-year period with the Cats before moving to the Lions, where he was part of the team that won last season’s grand final by 60 points over Sydney.

Saturday’s clash between Brisbane and Geelong is the long-awaited premiership decider between two of the competition’s most dominant forces.

The Lions are playing in a third successive grand final and have been part of the finals series for seven consecutive years.

Geelong has contested 17 of the past 19 finals series, winning four premierships in that time.

“They’re a very successful club, and just having that few years there, where they were playing in prelims and a grand final, you just get used to that culture of winning,” Fort said.

“And it’s great to come (to Brisbane) and have a similar experience here, where every year, I’ve been here, we’ve had the opportunity to play finals and had a bit of success.

“It’s exciting … two very successful clubs (playing each other in a grand final), and I’m just privileged to be part of it.”

Fort was a late inclusion in Brisbane’s grand-final-winning team last year after Oscar McInerney dislocated his shoulder in the Lions’ preliminary final victory over Geelong.

However, this year Fort has established himself as the club’s first-choice ruckman, having played 18 successive games ahead of this weekend’s decider.

“I’ve just been trying to play my role, and probably having had the success we had last year, I just have a bit more confidence in going out there and playing my game,” he said.

“I’ve probably had a bit more consistency than I’ve had in previous years, and knowing that I had that match fitness, I can just come in and focus on my game, as opposed to maybe thinking more about having to manage my minutes or save something in the tank.”

Fort was delighted that he and McInerney, who was recalled to Brisbane’s senior side two weeks ago, would play together on Saturday.

“It’s awesome. We all get a lot of confidence from him playing. It’s an incredible story to give him the opportunity to come back and have a shot at winning a premiership,” he said.

McInerney was full of praise for Fort.

“What Darcy has been able to do for the past 20 weeks of the AFL season has been incredible,” McInerney said.

“He’s just showing us how valuable he is for our team. I can’t wait for what he can show again on the big stage because he executed beautifully last year as well.”