The green light has officially been given for Brisbane Lions to host Essendon in their AFL round two clash at a patched up Gabba.
But it did not stop Lions captain Dayne Beams seeing red over his team's restricted Gabba access, saying it all but took away their home advantage.
There was a question mark over whether the Lions would host the Bombers on Saturday night after the surface was deemed unsafe for last weekend's AFLW final.
The Lions-Adelaide AFLW decider was controversially relocated to the Gold Coast to protect new Gabba turf laid to repair damage from two Adele concerts and prepare for November's first Ashes cricket Test.
However, the Lions confirmed on Monday that they had been cleared by Gabba management to host Essendon this weekend.
"We got the all clear today," Beams said.
"It looks in pristine condition so it'll be good to get back out there again."
But Brisbane are not expected to be given permission to train on their home ground until next week at the earliest.
The Lions have been preparing at their Coorparoo training base.
Beams admitted not being able to train at the Gabba almost defeated the purpose of having a home game.
"It's your home ground, you want that to be an advantage," he said.
"To get out there and train gives you that advantage - you know the ground better than the opposition.
"It would be nice to get out there earlier in the year before we start the season but with cricket and stuff we can't.
"We just make do with what we've got."
Beams was happy though with Brisbane's season start - a nail biting two point win over arch rivals Gold Coast.
The Lions roared to a 45-1 lead in the first 10 minutes before absorbing a Suns comeback.
Beams - a 2010 premiership winner with Collingwood - said he had never seen anything like it.
"I've played a fair bit of footy and played in some successful sides, and that 20 minutes of footy was as good as I've played in," said Beams who won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal for the derby with 28 touches.
"In the second half we ran out of petrol tickets.
"But it was a good show of character and how far they had come to be able to absorb that (Suns fightback) and stand up when it counted."
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