Hudson celebrates a win with fans (Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/77047082@N07)
BRISBANE LIONS 1.4 9.7 14.12 19.14 (128)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.3 2.5 4.6 9.7 (61)
Brisbane has capped off an impressive season with a comprehensive 67-point belting of the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba.
The win leaves the Lions finishing the season with 10 wins, a noticeable improvement on last season while providing fans with plenty of optimism heading into 2013.
Daniel Rich was superb for the victorious team, racking up 25 disposals and 4 goals in a clear best on ground display.
Rich received great support Claye Beams and Pearce Hanley, who help orchestrate the Lions breakaway.
From the Bulldogs perspective, perhaps the most promising player of the day was Adam Cooney, who looks to be showing signs of reaching a level near his Brownlow winning form of 2008.
The first quarter was the perfect illustration of why both teams would be sitting out in the upcoming finals series, with the intensity matching that of a training run.
Indeed, there was only the one solitary goal for the opening quarter, that belonging to young Jordan Lisle, to hand Brisbane a seven point lead at quarter time.
An exhilarating second quarter for the Lions more than made up for the snore fest delivered in the first, piling on nine goals to the Bulldogs two to steam past the struggling Dogs.
The Lions piled on the first six goals in just 12 minutes to completely blow the game away.
Rich was integral to the destruction at handing, booting two goals for the quarter while also imposing himself as a midfield general.
Captain Jonathan Brown was also up and about, kicking two of his eventual five goals for the game in the second quarter assault.
Tory Dickson and Shaun Higgins did their best to stem the damage, adding the Dogs first two goals of the game 15 and 24 minutes in to the second quarter.
It was no where near enough to keep the Dogs close though as the Lions had marched out to a 44 point lead at half time.
When the Lions, through Brown and Redden, got Brisbane off to another fast start in the third quarter, the alarm bells were well and truly sounding in the Bulldogs coaching box as a humiliating end to the season loomed ominous.
The Young Dogs though managed to show some composure though, kicking two goals to the Lions one over the next 20 minutes of football.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, two very late goals to Hanley and Raines witnessed the margin extend out to an even 11 goals at the final break of the season.
To the Bulldogs credit, they firmly held their heads high in the final quarter, matching the Lions five goals for the quarter to only lose the quarter by a solitary point.
Rich was again magnificent in the quarter, booting two massive goals from range, including a running goal after the siren to cap of an incredibly impressive display from both Rich and the Lions.
The Lions running out deserved victors by 67 points.
VOTES
3) D. Rich
2) P. Hanley
1) C. Beams
BRISBANE LIONS 1.4 9.7 14.12 19.14 (128)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.3 2.5 4.6 9.7 (61)
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Brown 5, Rich 4, Bewick 2, Lisle 2, Beams, Green, Polkinghorne, Hanley, Raines, Redden
Western Bulldogs: Higgins 2, Dixon, Grant, Boyd, Cooney, Wallis, Picken, Campbell
BEST
Brisbane Lions: Rich, Hanley, Beams, Black, Redden, Brown
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Cooney, Murphy, Wood, Higgins, Wallis
INJURIES
Brisbane Lions: Drummond (virus) replaced in selected side by Buchanan
Western Bulldogs: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane Lions: Ryan Harwood replaced Ryan Lester at three-quarter time
Adelaide: Zephaniah Skinner replaced Lin Jong in the third quarter
Reports: Dayne Zorko reported for striking Clay Smith in the fourth quarter
Umpires: Stewart, Armstrong, Mitchell
Official crowd: 18,289 at the Gabba
