Brisbane Lions send a stark reminder with big win over Geelong on Patrick Dangerfield’s special night
Brisbane has spoiled a special night down in Geelong, sending a timely reminder to the rest of the competition with a drought-breaking win. Should Chris Scott be worried?
Geelong players might spend the bye week kicking themselves.
They might also be well-served by doing some kicking practice with a footy.
Reigning premier Brisbane was brilliant on the road at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night, sending the rest of the competition a message that the Lions still mean business despite a rocky first half of season.
But the Cats hardly gave themselves a chance as their poor disposal by foot denied Patrick Dangerfield a fairytale script in his milestone 350th game.
There was a ‘white out’ around the ground as the Cats captain led his side out.
White commemorative t-shirts were left on every seat and fans were urged to ‘wave it or wear it’ in a high-energy display as Dangerfield ran through the banner accompanied by children George, Felicity and Winnifred.
But the locals didn’t take long to become restless once the game got underway and only grew more frustrated as the Cats limped to a 41-point defeat – their biggest loss of the season and an unusual sight on their home turf.
Dangerfield was in Year 7 at high school the last time Brisbane beat Geelong at Kardinia Park.
That was in round 6, 2003, back when Chris Scott was still wearing a Lions jumper during his playing days.
Brisbane went on to beat Collingwood in the grand final later that year and the Lions’ premiership odds 22 years on will quickly shorten over coming weeks if they can pull out some more performances like they did against the Cats.
Brisbane had laid 28 tackles in their loss to Greater Western Sydney the previous week.
By halftime on Friday night, they had put 30 tackles on the stats sheet as they turned up the heat on the home side and had the Cats officially cooked by midway through the third quarter.
Brisbane ensured the game was played in contest, with their at-ball pressure and territory advantage from clearance wins denying the Cats their usual uncontested mark game and generating turnovers.
Geelong had gone into the game averaging 42.5 points against from turnovers this season, but the Lions had put 6.3 (39) on the board by the main break.
Some of Geelong’s biggest stars butchered the ball too often going forward – including midfield guns Max Holmes and Bailey Smith and half-forwards Brad Close, Gryan Miers and Jack Martin.
When Brisbane won it back, it moved the ball forward with speed and there was no stopping the visitors, who led for all but two minutes of the contest.
Dayne Zorko was prolific off half-back, Cam Rayner again caught the eye and Logan Morris finished with a five-goal haul in attack.
Jeremy Cameron provided moments of brilliance for the Cats, but Dangerfield struggled to get into the game and finished the night with 15 disposals and three behinds playing mostly forward.
SCROLL DOWN TO RECAP ALL THE ACTION, KEY SUPERCOACH TAKEAWAYS
Chris Scott’s side might have lost its top-two spot for now, but all is not lost in the search for a home qualifying final in September.
Geelong faces just one current top-eight opponent in the run home, with that being the GWS Giants at Engie Stadium in round 18.
The Cats still have two games to come against 17th placed Richmond – including their first game after the bye – and also have struggling sides St Kilda, North Melbourne and Essendon to come in footy’s most favourable run home.
So, Scott wouldn’t be too concerned by one off night.
Match report: Lions spoil Paddy’s party with drought-breaking masterclass
– Meg Saultry
Brisbane has issued a stark reminder to the competition of its reigning premier status, downing the in-form team of the competition in Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.
Souring a big night for the Cats, as skipper Patrick Dangerfield became just the 25th person in AFL/VFL history to reach 350 games, the Lions brought the heat to move into the top 2 with a 14.8 (92) to 6.15 (51) victory.
Chris Fagan’s men came into the game with ions of pressure on their shoulders, having won just two of their last six, while the Cats were seeking a sixth-straight win.
But the interstate outfit were switched on from the get-go, winning the clearance battle early and cutting off the Cats through the corridor.
The home side appeared a shadow of its typically slick self as several players butchered the ball by foot all night and failed to make their opponents pay inside 50 with numerous wayward shots.
RED HOT LIONS
Despite the fanfare of the night, which included the Cats’ attempt to turn Kardinia Park into a cauldron-like atmosphere with ‘White Night’, the game itself started with a fizzle – taking almost 12 minutes for either team to notch a six-pointer.
But with Brisbane dominating clearances and inside 50 entries, it was only a matter of time until the Lions pounced, though their first came as Cats star Bailey Smith caught Levi Ashcroft high to give away a 50m penalty and goal.
Ashcroft’s easy shot opened the floodgates, the Lions wheeling and dealing for another three goals within six minutes.
“All their threats are firing and the Cats have been stunned,” FOX Footy commentator Anthony Hudson said.
DEFENSIVE NOUS
In a week Brisbane lost key defender Jack Payne to a season-ending patellar tendon injury, the Lions’ backline stepped up big time in his absence.
Going against the best attack in the AFL – the Cats averaging 101.9 points a game before Friday night – the Lions found a way to keep the home side to just 23 points at half time, and 51 overall.
Co-captain Harris Andrews was crucial to their organisation, while blanketing key forward Shannon Neale with a game-high 10 marks.
Jeremy Cameron (four goals) was the only dangerous avenue to the goal for Geelong – Cameron taking his season tally to 48 atop the Coleman medal leaderboard – but the Cats’ fleet of exciting small forwards failed to fire.
X-FACTOR CAM
Brisbane had winners all over the ground, but when Cam Rayner is on, he’s a standout of the competition.
Leading the Lions’ clearance game – he had five early in the third – the former number 1 draft pick was a key linkage point between his side’s midfield and attack.
“Brisbane are such a different team when Cam Rayner is firing,” Hudson said on FOX Footy after the 25-year-old kicked his second of three goals early in the third.
Scoreboard
GEELONG 1.3, 3.5, 5.10, 6.15 (51)
BRISBANE 4.2, 7.4, 11.6, 14.8 (92)
BEST
Cats: J. Cameron, T. Atkins, B. Smith, J. Henry, C. O’Sullivan.
Lions: H. Andrews, C. Rayner,, L. Morris, W. Ashcroft, J. Berry, H. McCluggage, J. Dunkley
GOALS
Cats: J. Cameron 4, S. Neale, G. Miers.
Lions: L. Morris 5, C. Rayner 3, K. Lohmann 2, L. Ashcroft, D. Wilmot, W. Ashcroft, H. McCluggage.
INJURIES Cats: nil. Lions: nil.
35,367 at GMHBA Stadium
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
MEG SAULTRY’S VOTES
3 H. Andrews (BRIS)
2 C. Rayner (BRIS)
1 L. Morris (BRIS)
Originally published as Brisbane Lions send a stark reminder with big win over Geelong on Patrick Dangerfield’s special night
‘Sometimes you give a bit of lip’: Bolton on that Dons taunt
Shai Bolton was one of the instigators of several skirmishes in Fremantle’s fiery win over Essendon on Thursday night – and his scoreboard taunt had the footy world talking.
Four trades! Experts unload in SuperCoach splurge
The SuperCoach experts are going hard with their trades this week, with a surprise Boost and a potential 400 captaincy score on the agenda. See all their moves here.