The Lions have broken one record winning streak of the Chris Fagan era and equalled another to close out a weekend in which they were installed as the new favourites for the 2024 AFL flag.

The Lions’ 85-point twilight win over St.Kilda at Marvel Stadium yesterday was their fifth ‘away’ win in a row to better Fagan’s previous best of four in 2019.

It was also their ninth consecutive win overall to equal the same 2019 streak from Round 14-22.

This leaves only two longer winning streaks in club history - the 10-win streak of 1999, in which Leigh Matthews’ team confirmed their standing as an emerging superpower, and the 20-win streak of 2001-02, which included 16 wins in a row to the club’s first grand final triumph over Essendon.

There has been only one longer ‘away’ winning streak in Brisbane history – the 2001-02 run of eight on the trot which also included the 2001 flag at the MCG.

In the Fitzroy history, the longest winning streak overall was 14 games back in 1898-99, and the longest ‘away’ winning streak was nine games in 1919-20.

Yesterday’s commanding win was Brisbane’s their biggest ‘away’ win against St Kilda, and their fourth biggest overall in 55 games against the Saints, behind only three Gabba wins by 89 points, 90 points and 97 points in 1997-99-2000.

Coming against a St Kilda side playing to keep their finals hopes alive, it also saw the Lions claim outright second spot on the ladder, half a game behind Sydney, and displace Sydney as flag favourites after they copped a 112-point hiding from Port Adelaide in Adelaide on Saturday.

In direct contrast to the Lions, who have  turned a 2-5 start into a 13-1-6 split, the Swans have now lost five of their last six after a 13-1 start had them three wins plus percentage clear.

In the new premiership market of TAB, a platinum and major support partner of the Lions, it’s Brisbane at $3.50 from the Western Bulldogs $5.50, Sydney $6 and Port $9.

The Dogs, on a similar upward spiral to the Lions, have won six of their last seven, while Port have won five of their last six.

The Giants, who will play the Lions in the 1.45pm game at the Gabba next Saturday, have won four in a row, knocking off Hawthorn by two points in Canberra yesterday after the Hawks had won eight of nine to rescue an 0-5 start.

Game Day Guide Brisbane vs GWS →

Carlton, who have lost four of their last five games, are fifth in the premiership market at $10 from GWS $11, Fremantle $12 and Geelong $14 and three sides now outside the top eight with three rounds to play - Hawthorn $26, Collingwood $51 and Essendon $81.

The ladder, with the last three games for the top 11 sides, with their current premiership points and percentage, is:-

1^st – SYDNEY (56 – 126.1) – Coll (SCG), Ess (Dock), Adel (SCG)

2^nd – BRISBANE (54 – 125.1) –  GWS (Gabba), Coll (MCG), Ess (Gabba).

3^rd - PORT ADELAIDE (52 – 113.6) – Melb (MCG), Adel (AO), Frem (PS).

4^th – GWS GIANTS (52 – 111.2) –  Bris (Gabba), Frem (SS), WB (Ballarat).

5^th – GEELONG (52 – 116.7) –  Frem (PS), StK (Marvel), WC (KP).

6^th - FREMANTLE (50 – 116.7) – Geel (PS), GWS (SS), Port (PS).

7^th – W/BULLDOGS (48 – 122.4) – Adel (AO), NM (Marvel), GWS (Ballarat).

8^th -  CARLTON (48 – 112.1) – Haw (MCG), WC (PS), StK (Marvel).

9^th – ESSENDON (46 – 95.9) – GC (Marvel), Syd (Marvel), Bris (Gabba)

10^th – HAWTHORN (44 – 104.1) – Carl (MCG), Rich (MCG), NM (Launc).

11^th – COLLINGWOOD (44 – 100.2) – Syd (SCG), Bris (MCG), Melb (MCG).

Venue Abbreviations – Car (Carrara), PS (Perth Stadium), SS (Sydney Showgrounds at GWS), KP (Kardinia Park at Geelong). AO (Adelaide Oval), Launc (Launceston),

Importantly, the Lions gained 5% via their big win over the Saints. Their percentage is now 125.1% and second only by a whisker to Sydney’s 126.1% after the ladder leaders lost 10.8% in their biggest loss in 14 years under coach John Longmire and their first triple-figure loss since 1998.

Barring another draw among the finals contenders in the last three rounds the Lions percentage will only be a factor if they finish level with sixth-placed Fremantle (116.7%) or ninth-placed Essendon (95.9%).

But it will be comforting nevertheless that, barring another blowout result, they sit with Sydney and the Western Bulldogs (122.4%) a level above the rest of the field.

It’s been an extraordinary turnaround since Round 11 when Brisbane suffered their last loss to Hawthorn by 25 points at Marvel Stadium to sit 13^th on the ladder with a 4-1-6 record. The ladder at that time was:-

1^st – Sydney (40)
2^nd – Essendon (34)
3^rd – Port Adelaide (32)
4^th – Melbourne (28)
5^th – GWS (28)
6^th – Geelong (28)
7^th – Collingwood (28)
8^th – Carlton (28)
9^th – Fremantle (26)
10^th – Gold Coast (24)
11^th – W/Bulldogs (20)
12^th – Adelaide (18)
13^th – Brisbane (18)
14^th – Hawthorn (16)

In other key takeaways from yesterday’s win:-

Ryan Lester now owns the biggest 200^th game win in club history, with the 85-point margin surpassing a mark which stood for only five weeks after Harris Andrews enjoyed a  79-point win over Port Adelaide in Adelaide in Round 15.

Prior to that the best 200^th game result had been 68-point wins for Darryl White in the 2001 preliminary final against Richmond at the Gabba, and Justin Leppitsch against the Bulldogs at the Gabba in 2004.

And after 30 wins in his first 100 games Lester had 64 wins and a draw in his second 100 games.

Cam Rayner, rampant against the Saints to continue a blistering vein of form, has logged a statistical ‘first”. In the last three weeks he’s had 20-25-22 possessions and kicked 2-2-3 goals – the first time he’s had 20-plus and featured on the goal sheet three weeks in a row.

500 Possessions - Dayne Zorko, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley joined Lachie Neale in topping 500 possessions for the season. Brisbane’s four players with 500-plus is most in the League from Fremantle (3), Bulldogs (3), Essendon (2), Gold Coast (2), GWS (2), North (2), Adelaide (1), Carlton (1), Collingwood (1), Port (1), Sydney (1) and St Kilda (1).