AFL round 11: Callum Ah Chee snares hanger during Brisbane Lions victory

Brisbane Lions young gun Callum Ah Chee’s soaring effort was immediately labelled a contender for mark of the year, and rightfully so.

Brisbane Lions young gun Callum Ah Chee’s soaring effort was immediately labelled a contender for mark of the year, and rightfully so.

Young gun Callum Ah Chee has claimed a contender for mark of the year during the Brisbane Lion’s comprehensive victory over the Western Bulldogs on Saturday evening.

During the round 1l clash in Brisbane, the Lions were ahead by three points in the opening quarter when midfielder Lachie Neale booted the footy inside 50.

Standing near the goalposts, Ah Chee lunged above his rivals to secure the classy mark, winding himself in the process.

Watch Footy LIVE & On-Demand Every Day from July 29 - August 17 with Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

“Oh! Ah Chee, massive! Huge mark,” Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw bellowed.

“Hurt himself on the way down. But that is superb, Callum Ah Chee. It’s a beauty.

“What a great highlight of our game that is.”

Hawthorn great Luke Hodge responded: “Nothing better than a hangar in Australian rules football. And that is a hangar. It was a cracker.”

Former Western Bulldogs star Luke Darcy queried: “He spent four years at the Gold Coast Suns, mainly as a defender. Why did they put him forward?”

Speaking on AFL Nation, Andy Maher called it “one of the marks of the season”.

Ah Chee slotted the goal with ease to give Brisbane a nine-point lead ahead of the first break. The 22-year-old finished the match with two goals, a behind, ten disposals and six marks.

AFL commentator Jude Bolton tweeted: “So good to see (Ah Chee) play with confidence. Played a lot deep forward at South Fremantle, before his time at Gold Coast.”

Sports broadcaster Daniel Garb posted: “A fair bit of Shaun Smith at the Gabba about that Ah Chee mark. Same goalsquare. Spectacular.”

The Age journalist Daniel Cherny argued: “Few better aerialists in the AFL than Callum Ah Chee.”

AFL Live Scores: Round 11 match centres

Callum Ah Chee joined the Brisbane Lions in 2020 after three seasons with the Gold Coast Suns.

AFL LIVE SCORES: Round 11 match centres

The Lions went on to secure a comfortable 14.12 (96) to 11.6 (72) victory over the Western Bulldogs, and will climb up to second spot on the AFL ladder. Brisbane have now won 13 consecutive matches at the Gabba.

Hawthorn legend Leigh Matthews questioned the Bulldogs’ tactics on 3AW Football.

“The Bulldogs know that they have to play the ball on quickly to have any chance of breaking through the Lions defence,” Matthews said.

“If they are just kicking it down the line, kicking long and high, they won’t beat the Lions with that method.”

Lions forward Eric Hipwood kicked a game-high five goals, while Bulldogs star Mitch Wallis managed three majors. In the midfield, Jack Macrae racked up an impressive 40 disposals for the Bulldogs, while Neale once again proved a powerhouse player for Brisbane with 36 disposals, a goal and a behind.

Having recorded their sixth loss of the season, the Western Bulldogs remain outside the top eight, and will face the struggling Adelaide Crows next Sunday for their round 12 fixture.

Meanwhile, the Lions will travel to the Gold Coast and take on North Melbourne next Saturday afternoon.