QClash injury carnage forces herculean performances from five Lions
Five key Brisbane players notched up north of 90% time on the ground to produce one of the club’s ‘greatest ever wins,’ as the Lions come to terms with season-defining ramifications.
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It’s a win that Brisbane coach Chris Fagan will no doubt call back on whenever his side needs reminding what it is capable of.
The Lions’ stunning QClash demolition of the Suns, in the face of four first-half injuries, had Fagan labelling it the “most amazing and courageous win I’ve ever seen by any group of players I’ve had anything to do with.”
He declared the 34-point victory would “go down in our club as one of our greatest ever wins”. Now the extent of Brisbane’s back-to-the-wall victory in a match that had season-defining ramifications, can be revealed.
After the pre-match calf injury to Brandon Starcevich was compounded by the losses of Lincoln McCarthy (knee), Noah Answerth (concussion) and Darcy Gardiner (knee), the Lions were down to just two players on the bench barely 10 minutes into the second quarter.
The incredible story of debutant Logan Morris, who played a full VFL game only hours before his surprise call-up to the AFL side after Starcevich’s injury, deservedly stole headlines – but the 18-year-old was not the only Lion to dig deep in the face of adversity.
Brisbane used just 47 of its 75 available interchanges, down from a season average of 63, while the Suns had 68.
Morris and fellow debutant Reville accounted for 12 of the Lions’ interchanges alone – understandable given it was their first time playing at the level, and Morris had already covered 13km in the VFL.
| LIONS’ MAMMOTH EFFORTS V SUNS | |||
| PLAYER | TIME ON GROUND | SEASON AV. | DIFFERENCE |
| Oscar McInerney | 98% | 82.6% | +15.4% |
| Kai Lohmann | 95% | 80.2% | +14.8% |
| Hugh McCluggage | 96% | 83.2% | +12.8% |
| Dayne Zorko | 92% | 80.4% | +11.6% |
| Josh Dunkley | 92% | 82.2% | +9.8% |
It means the remaining 18 Lions came to the bench a total of 35 times over the four quarters.
According to Champion Data, five players – Oscar McInerney, Harris Andrews, Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood and Kai Lohmann – went to the bench just once during the match.
Ruckman McInerney, who in his five full games this season averaged 82.6 per cent time on ground, played out a game-high 98 per cent of the match on the field – the most of his 133-game career.
He did not leave the field at all in the final three quarters – likewise Daniher and Lohmann.
Nine Lions played out the entirety of the second half.
Half-forward Lohmann covered 15.8km, the most of any player on the field.
Not far behind him was young winger Harry Sharp (15.5km), who was initially listed as the sub before being thrown into the fray moments before the first bounce in place of Starcevich.
Sharp started the second quarter on the bench but almost immediately came onto the field and played out the rest of the match, essentially three quarters without rest.
Star midfielders Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley also played the entirety of the second half – their selfless sacrifices allowing their fellow on-ballers to, albeit only briefly, catch their breath.
McCluggage had only twice previously in his career played more than 90 per cent TOG. He had less than five minutes’ rest throughout the night, totalling 96 per cent TOG.
In his age-35 season, Marcus Ashcroft Medal winner Dayne Zorko played out the longest match of his 258-game career.
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