Brisbane has dominated the QClash for the best part of a decade, but don't tell Gold Coast's Streetsmarts SUNS Academy graduates.

Sunday night's 28th edition of the Queensland rivalry between the Lions and SUNS promises to be the best yet, with the teams owning a combined 11-2 win-loss record and both sitting inside the top four for the first time in history.

Brisbane has won 11 of the past 12 encounters, including the most recent six at the Gabba by an average winning margin of 46 points.

It's been largely one-way traffic.

However, with an injection of its young Academy blood, Gold Coast no longer has the same scars dished out by 'Big Brother' as previous iterations of its team.

Jed Walter, Ethan Read, Jake Rogers and Will Graham – all taken by the SUNS in the first round of the 2023 Telstra AFL Draft – have enjoyed their fair share of success against the Lions at junior level.

Yes, they were all on the end of a loss to the eventual premier during their debut season in 2024, but that's been the exception rather than the norm.

"We played the Lions Academy a lot," Walter told AFL.com.au following his team's 38-point demolition of Sydney on Sunday.

"We usually got them done and had the wood over them … hopefully we can translate that and turn the record around over the next few years and show the competition what we're about.

"I guess it's always the QClash, so there's a bit extra anger running out there. It's definitely a big rivalry and it's always good to get them done."

Walter, Read, Rogers and Graham are four of eight players taken by the SUNS from their Academy that are likely to line up against the Lions.

There's Bodhi Uwland, Connor Budarick, Lachie Weller and Joel Jeffrey, from Gold Coast's Darwin zone.

Brisbane is expected to have four Academy products running out at the Gabba; co-captain Harris Andrews, Jack Payne, Eric Hipwood and Jaspa Fletcher.

For the SUNS, Walter continues to improve in his second season, kicking an equal career high three goals in the win over Sydney.

Notably, he kicked two in quick succession just prior to half-time to bring the SUNS back into the contest after they trailed by 29 points.

Following a poor outing against Richmond the previous week, the 19-year-old said Damien Hardwickand forward coach Brad Miller sat down with him, Read and Ben King.

"They really took it to us," Walter said.

"We needed to hear what we needed to hear. That's how we're going to get better … it was pretty firm feedback.

"We love it.

"We really wanted to go to work on our aerial power, bring the ball to ground and get the smalls involved. I think we lacked that a little bit last week.

"To respond the way we did is a massive effort from the boys and showed some maturity from the group."

Walter said Brisbane was a great challenge after the best start to a season in Gold Coast history.

"This year the boys have a big understanding of the gameplan and where each other are," he said.

"We have a lot more trust in each other as a group.

"There's a lot of belief in this team. We're going to go some places."