BRISBANE LIONS    3.3    7.4    12.5    17.9 (111)
GOLD COAST             2.4    5.8     5.9    6.10 (46)

Brisbane have won the third QClash by 65 points thanks to a 10 goal to one second half which saw Lions captain Jonathan Brown kick his 500th league goal.

The Suns had the best of the early exchanges – kicking the first two goals of the game and leading both the tackle count and contested possessions easily, but were unable to turn their ground-level pressure into points.

Jonathan Brown - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerkstore/

Ben Hudson was winning the battle in the centre circle and Simon Black got back into the swing of things and set up Tom Rockliff with a perfect pass with his first of many inside 50s for the evening.

A Jared Polec snap saw the Lions take a 21 to 16 point lead into the first break.

Gold Coast again had an early goal in the second term, with a major to Trent McKenzie seeing the Suns take the lead.

Weight of possession (including leading the inside 50s 22 – 20 and contested possessions 73 and 56) saw the Suns get plenty of chances, but not make them count.

Harley Bennell was dangerous up forward and blasted through a goal from a metre out as the ball spilled from a big pack in the goal square.

However, the loss of David Swallow with a hip injury, and key defender Jarrod Harbrow with a dislocated elbow shifted the game’s balance, with the Lions slotting the next three majors.

The Lions carved out the win in the third quarter, getting on top in tackles and contested possessions to kick five goals to a single behind to the ailing Suns. Rockliff had it 14 times for the quarter and Brown was launching himself headlong into contests as ever.

Brown’s first major for the game came from a mark tight up against the boundary in the pocket, then his second just before three-quarter time, his 500th AFL goal and a 38-point lead to the Lions.

The first goal of the last quarter to the Gold Coast gave them the slimmest glimmer of hope, but Brown’s third soon after meant it was just a case of how much.

A late knee injury to Gary Ablett, who amassed 33 disposals for the night, made for a dismal ending to the battle of Queensland for the Suns.

Votes: 

Rockliff 3,

Black 2,

Cornelius 1.

GOALS
Brisbane: Cornelius 4, Brown 3, Rich 3, Rockliff 2, Adcock, Banfield, Merrett, Polec, Raines
Gold Coast: Bennell 3, Smith, Swallow, McKenzie

BEST
Brisbane: Rockliff, Cornelius, Black, Polec,
Gold Coast: Ablett, Bennell, Brennan

INJURIES
Brisbane: Polkinghorne replaced in selected side by Sheldon
Gold Coast: Harbrow (dislocated elbow), Ablett (knee)

Umpires: Donlon, Kamolins, Ryan

Reports: Nil
 
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