Brisbane Lions, fresh from a string of victories, reaffirmed their dominance in the AFL landscape, demolishing the Richmond Tigers by an astounding 81 points at the Gabba. The game saw Joe Daniher in formidable form, scoring five goals while the Lions’ formidable midfield helped the team remain hot on the heels of the top two AFL teams.
The Lions’ coach, Chris Fagan, believes that the recent performance boost has been due to the absence of veterans Daniel Rich and Jack Gunston. Their absence has motivated the rest of the team to step up and perform at their best, a sentiment echoed by Fagan.
The game witnessed an impressive defensive display from Keidean Coleman, Darcy Wilmot, Conor McKenna, and Brandon Starcevich. Fagan praised their efforts saying, “Lots of metres gained, lots of overlap, which is one of the reasons we were able to take so many marks inside 50 because we got it in open situations”. With the team’s new dynamics, former captain Dayne Zorko is poised to return to face West Coast after his recovery from a calf injury.
The Lions’ superiority in contested ball and their heightened defensive pressure were on full display during their triumph. The Richmond Tigers had a tough time coping with the onslaught, their woes compounded by the pre-game loss of Dustin Martin to illness and Jayden Short’s in-game hamstring injury.
This loss for Richmond interrupts their winning spree under interim coach Andrew McQualter and draws them into a larger chasing pack. The game was a far cry from last season’s elimination final, where the Lions clinched a narrow victory by just two points.
The Lions commanded the midfield, with Josh Dunkley effectively neutralising Tim Taranto’s impact, and Hugh McCluggage and Lachie Neale steering the team. Their domination in clearances (46-32) and inside 50s (68-38) kept the Tiger’s defence under relentless pressure.
One of the highlights was a smooth chain of passes initiated by Ryan Lester, culminating in a goal from Charlie Cameron. The Lions led the scoreboard by 21 points at quarter time, 48 at half time, and 72 at the final break. Lincoln McCarthy’s second goal, one of his three majors, drew significant attention at the three-quarter siren.
Next, the Lions are geared up to tackle strugglers West Coast before a highly anticipated face-off against Melbourne in an MCG blockbuster. However, they may face some challenges as McCarthy may come under the scanner of the AFL’s match review officer after a jumper punch incident involving Kamdyn McIntosh. Despite these potential hurdles, the Brisbane Lions have shown they are a formidable force in the AFL.
