Brisbane Lions defeat Melbourne 82-60

After a slow start to the season, the Lions have secured their second-straight win, beating the Demons 82-60 in Lachie Neale’s 250th game.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 11: Charlie Cameron (left) and Zac Bailey of the Lions celebrate during the 2024 AFL Round 05 match between the Melbourne Demons and the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 11, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

It’s been one of the most consistent forces in the AFL this decade, but Melbourne’s midfield suffered a complete meltdown in primetime on Thursday night.

Led by a scintillating first-quarter blitz from Cam Rayner, Brisbane put the Demons’ on-ball brigade to the sword to properly reset its season with a 22-point win – only the Lions’ second victory in their last 17 visits to the MCG.

Melbourne captain Max Gawn had no trouble getting his hands on the ball in a high-stoppage clash but his midfielders were never able to get on the same page.

But Rayner and 250-gamer Lachie Neale read Gawn like a book as they orchestrated a clearance masterclass to leave Melbourne’s forwards completely shut out of the game.

Even when the Demons did win the ball in their forward half, Harris Andrews was at his best and denied his opponent Harrison Petty a single possession until midway through the final term.

Cam Rayner dominated. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

An exhausted Clayton Oliver’s move to halfback in the second half was almost a concession of defeat from the Demons as they looked listless following a brutal three-week schedule.

The margin blew out to 49 points midway through the final term before a flurry of four late goals softened the scoreboard.

The Lions, and particularly star forward Charlie Cameron (three goals), all of a sudden looked themselves again.

Melbourne defender Christian Salem’s frustrating run of injuries and illness continued with a suspected serious foot injury early in the first term.

Salem limped off only eight minutes into the match and went straight down the race with a right foot concern. He was replaced immediately by substitute Taj Woewodin, who was forced into an unfamiliar role at halfback.

THE MYSTERY OF CAM

Isaac Heeney and Zach Merrett may have a case, but Cam Rayner arguably delivered the best individual quarter of the year so far in a blistering 12-disposal opening term.

The former No. 1 pick had nine kicks at 90 per cent efficiency as he won an eye-watering six clearances for the quarter and sent the ball inside 50 seven times.

No player on the field had half the impact he did in the first quarter, but the question remains whether he has the tank to be a consistent centre-bounce player for the Lions.

Rayner only had 13 disposals for the rest of the match as his influence waned – but not enough to miss out on a deserved three votes.

MAY RIBBED BY TALLS

Steven May was outstanding in his early return from broken ribs against Port Adelaide, and for most of the game was a major force again for the Dees on Thursday night.

But the discomfort he was in perhaps cost him a yard of pace and the Lions exploited it brilliantly by playing through his opponent in the first quarter.

May had the moment of the first term when he outmuscled Eric Hipwood and took an intercept mark as he fell onto his back, but conceded all four of Brisbane’s first-quarter goals to his direct opponent as he trailed Hipwood and Joe Daniher to some pinpoint Lions forward entries.

Clayton Oliver struggled. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

CLARRY’S OVERDUE REST

It might have been the Demons’ midfield to blame for May looking a fraction off the pace but there was no doubting Clayton Oliver was physically cooked and should not have played against the Lions.

A limited pre-season and an unfortunate hand injury at training a fortnight ago have sapped Oliver’s strength heading into Melbourne’s round 6 bye, and the Demons will hope the one-week break is enough.

Oliver didn’t touch the ball for 30 minutes as the Brisbane midfield ran rampant in the opening quarter and had two catastrophic moments in the third quarter - he was chased down by Jarrod Berry in the middle of the ground before he had a handball sharked by Charlie Cameron deep in defence for a Lions goal.

SCOREBOARD

DEMONS 2.0, 2.4, 3.7, 8.12 (60)

LIONS 4.2, 7.4, 10.8, 12.10 (82)

BOURKE’S BEST Demons: Lever, May, Gawn, Langdon, Rivers, McDonald. Lions: Rayner, Neale, Andrews, Zorko, McCluggage, Berry, Dunkley, Cameron.

GOALS Demons: Fritsch 2, Neal-Bullen, Chandler, Brown, Gawn, van Rooyen, Lever. Lions: Cameron 3, Hipwood 2, Daniher 2, McCluggage 2, Fletcher, Lohmann, Bailey.

UMPIRES Findlay, Gavine, Nicholls, Power

INJURIES Demons: Salem (foot). Lions: nil.

CROWD 43,098 at the MCG

BOURKE’S VOTES

3. Cam Rayner (Bris)

2. Lachie Neale (Bris)

1. Harris Andrews (Bris)