The Brisbane Lions have accounted for the Redland Bombers with a massive 78-point win at Coorparoo.
In a sometimes spiteful match, Brisbane’s control of the play and of the scoreboard never looked threatened, the home side winning 19.19 (133) to 8.7 (55).
Jordan Lisle was the standout of the day, amassing 37 possessions and booting seven goals for the home side. The prolific forward also took an impressive 19 marks in a dominant display. Other notable contributors – and there were many for the Lions – included Sam Docherty, Jack Crisp, Aaron Cornelius, Jesse O’Brien, Elliot Yeo and Jared Polec.
It was ten minutes into the opening term before Brisbane opened its account with a set shot goal to Lisle. After plenty of end-to-end football the Lions kicked their second through Michael Close, followed by two more goals in the next two minutes to put Brisbane’s lead out to 20 points.
At the start of a physical second term, Cornelius wobbled through a rather freakish set shot for goal to maintain the Lions’ run. Docherty racked up early possessions for the Lions and while Brisbane controlled much of the play, the visitors were more efficient and effective in front of goal, kicking the next two to bring the margin back to 17 points. A nice reply from Tickner was immediately followed by a goal on the run to Polec. When Lisle kicked his second for the day the Lions led by 31 points.
The first few minutes of the third term saw the Lions string together a series of precision passes which ended in a booming set shot goal to Lisle. Another three goals in quick succession extended Brisbane’s lead to 48 points.
Redland did their best to contain Brisbane’s midfielders but the stronger-looking Lions were unstoppable, banging on another three majors so that by the last change a 25-point half-time lead had blown out to 67 points.
In the final quarter Redland earned back some respectability, scoring three quick goals early in the term to momentarily break Brisbane’s stride. Jordan Lisle replied by adding yet another to his tally, however the visitors wouldn’t give up easily, slotting through two more majors to reduce the margin to 53 points.
Redland’s late revival was not enough as mid-way through the term the Lions wrestled back control of play to re-claim an insurmountable lead. Goals to Lisle and O’Brien pushed the margin back out to beyond ten goals. When Richard Newell kicked truly late in the match, Brisbane was well and truly home.
While Brisbane coach Leigh Harding had plenty of praise for major goal-kicker Jordan Lisle, he was also quick to point out the Lions’ other key contributors.
“The midfielders in Crisp, O’Brien, Yeo, Docherty and a couple of our key backs like Niall McKeever were all very good and that was one of the major wins for us down back,” he said.
“Basically we had a contribution from everybody.”
Next week the Lions travel to Darwin to play the NT Thunder.
