Brisbane Lions ensure Luke Hodge’s first game against old club Hawthorn was a happy one

BRISBANE has not won a lot of silverware in recent times but they emphatically and gleefully wrapped their claws around the unofficial ‘Luke Hodge Cup’. SEE WHAT THE COACHES SAID.

Brisbane Lions players celebrate victory over Hawthorn. Pic: Getty Images

BRISBANE senior coach Chris Fagan said the way his side devoured the Hawks at the Gabba was the long-awaited “nourishment” the Lions have richly deserved.

Brisbane’s thumping 56-point disposal of Hawthorn in front of 20,628 spectators snapped a number of losing streaks for the Lions who were able to salute in the unofficial ‘Luke Hodge Cup’ with the future AFL Hall-of-Famer playing a valuable role in the win over his old club.

It was Brisbane’s first win of the 2018 season after eight rounds of near-misses and brave but ultimately fruitless efforts – apart from the thrashing from Richmond.

SUPER SUNDAY: HOW THE LIONS DID IT

It was the club’s first premiership points since August 12 last year – ending a 10-game run of defeats - when Brisbane beat the Gold Coast in the Round 21 QClash.

The 20.9 (129) to 11.7 (73) romp was also Brisbane’s first victory over the Hawks since Round 12, 2009 when the Lions won by 42 points in Launceston in Daniel Rich’s first season of AFL football when Fagan was Hawthorn’s head of coaching and development.

It was not only the fact that Brisbane belted Hawthorn that was impressive, it was how they did it. They smelled blood and went in for the kill.

Charlie Cameron kicked goals, chased hard and took big marks. Pic: Getty Images

Ben McEvoy was solid for the Hawks on a dull day for the visitors. Pic: AAP

After a see-sawing first quarter when they survived an early onslaught from Hawthorn, the sharp, fast, direct and clean Lions kicked 16 goals to six to feast on the carcass of the lacklustre Hawks who were sloppy and one-dimensional.

While Dayne Zorko (30 disposals, 11 tackles, five clearances, 10 inside 50s) and Dayne Beams (28 disposals) were the experienced midfield generals, it was ‘generation next’ of Hugh McCluggage (27 disposals), Tom Cutler (27 disposals, seven inside 50s and three goals), Eric Hipwood (four goals) and Harris Andrews (eight marks, 16 spoils) that drove the Lions home.

Hodge chimed in with 19 touches and seven marks in is best outing as a Lion with his influence growing the longer the game went.

Luke Hodge tries to block Tom Mitchell‘s run. Pic: AAP

“It’s great for our group. It gives us some positive reinforcement for what they’ve pretty much been doing all year. Tonight we just got that bit of nourishment you get from winning a game of football,” Fagan said.

“It reinforces that what we are trying to do ... we feel like we are on the right track. I’m hopeful that the players feel like that. It’s been a long time since the Lions have been able to beat the Hawks.

“It will give them a little bit of confidence.”

After a heart-breaking end-to-end loss to Collingwood in their last home game, the Lions put on another show amidst the industry-wide hand-wringing about footy being ugly and unwatchable.

“We are in the entertainment business. We want our fans to come back to the Gabba and watch us play because we play a great brand. The pleasing part about it tonight is we get shots on goal but we kept a really good opposition to 18 shots on goal,’’ Fagan said.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said the Hawks failed to capitalise on a statistically dominant first quarter when led disposals (131-72), contested possessions (44-28), inside 50 entries (16-9), tackles (21-11) but only had a five-point buffer on the scoreboard.

“We just lost our way a bit… to come out of that quarter and be five goals to four probably wasn’t a great reflection of how well we were playing,” he said.

“Full credit to Brisbane, the seven times they went inside 50 they were able to score four goals. It was probably only a matter of time where the Brisbane midfield were going to start getting some of their supply and control the ball.

Eric Hipwood was a handful all day for the Hawks. Pic: AAP

“We couldn’t change the momentum of the game. We tried a lot of things but to the credit of their side and their play, they didn’t allow us to get back into the contest so we tip our lids off to them, they were too good for us tonight.”

Clarkson said Brisbane controlled the game in the air and the Hawks did not change up their angles heading into goal, highlighted by the fact they had just five marks inside their attacking 50.

He said the poor skill level did not help either.

“They just used it in a better manner than what we did. That usually isn’t the way that we describe ourselves. Usually our polish and football is pretty strong,” Clarkson said.

“Tonight we made uncharacteristic errors with the ball, even if it was just ball handling. Ground balls fumbled, hand ball receives dropped to the ground and then you place yourself under more pressure.”

He said it was not strange coaching against Hodge as his move to Brisbane was just a part of modern football.

Hawthorn ball-magnet Tom Mitchell (46 disposals), Liam Shiels (28 disposals), Smith (25 touches and two goals) and Jack Gunston (four goals) led the charge for the Hawks but they got too little from too many.

Luke Hodge and the Lions players celebrate victory. Pic: Getty Images

BRISBANE LIONS 4.1 9.1 13.6 20.9 (129) def HAWTHORN 5.0 7.2 9.3 11.7 (73)

Goals: Brisbane Lions: E Hipwood 4 T Cutler 3 C Cameron 2 C Rayner 2 D Beams 2 A Christensen D Rich D Zorko L Taylor M Eagles M Robinson O McInerney

Hawthorn: J Gunston 4 I Smith 2 J Roughead 2 J Sicily J Worpel T Mitchell

Best: Lions: McCluggage, Zorko, Beams, Andrews, Hipwood, Hodge, Cutler

Hawks: Mitchell, Shiels, Smith, Gunston, McEvoy, Impey

Umpires: Chris Donlon, Curtis Deboy, Eleni Glouftsis.

Official Crowd: 20,628 at Gabba

VOTES

3 — Hugh McCluggage

2 — Dayne Zorko

1 — Dayne Beams

THE FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

1. Brisbane might need to revert to the old-fashioned smelling salts as they remain the worst first-quarter team in the competition. The Hawks jumped put to a 24-6 lead before Gabba patrons had a chance to adequately put sauce on their pies. They fought back well to keep the Hawks honest but they are still yet to win an opening term for 2018.

2. Hawthorn’s incredible skill level was one of the foundations of its recent golden era but they were seriously sloppy at times with clangers in their back-half aiding Brisbane’s cause. Brisbane are usually guilty of poor ball use under pressure but the Hawks joined the party at the Gabba as the Lions picked up their act and wiped the floor with them.

3. Teams should have learnt this already but Hawks ball-magnet Tom Mitchell needs to be tagged. He had 16 touches by quarter-time and 25 disposals by halftime. Jarrod Berry went to him at stoppages but he needed a maroon, blue and gold shadow all over the ground. Found time and space too easily away from the contests to have 46 touches.

4. Prepare to see a host of young Lions supporters getting around with no. 23 on the back of their Brisbane jumper. Charlie Cameron is a genuine excitement machine and the Gabba crowd finds its voice every time he is anywhere near the ball. Took a mark of the year contender in the first quarter and was a constant threat to the Hawthorn defence. He would soon be joined by plenty of teammates in punishing the lacklustre Hawks.

Eric Hipwood was awarded a goal after a review. #AFLLionsHawks pic.twitter.com/fEwji0x67u

— AFL (@AFL) May 20, 2018

5. The video review process has its problems but it worked the way it was intended in the third quarter. Goal umpire Chelsea Roffey ruled an Eric Hipwood kick for goal went wide. Replays showed to sailed through the big sticks comfortably and a goal was rightly awarded to the Lions.

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Originally published as Brisbane Lions ensure Luke Hodge’s first game against old club Hawthorn was a happy one