The Vultures’ big 18.17 (125) to 7.6 (48) victory resurrected their QAFL Velocity Sports Cup finals hopes and put the pressure squarely back on the Lions.
Hoping to seal a State League finals berth so the fringe players can maintain match conditioning with the seniors set for an AFL finals series appearance, the Lions were never in the contest after the first minute of play.
Travis Johnstone had two touches out of the centre and set up top-up player James Power for the first goal, but Mt Gravatt generated the next 15 scoring shots.
They blasted five goals in the last nine minutes of the opening term to lead by 37 points at the first break, and only the defensive pressure of the Lions prevented them from opening a far greater lead than 53 points at the main break.
The Lions went into the game leading Mt Gravatt on the premiership table by a game and a whopping 22%, but serious inroads looked like being made into that when the Lions trailed 2.4-13.16 at the last break.
Fortunately Scott Harding and Aaron Cornelius lifted their side in the last term and the Lions kicked five goals to ease the percentage damage.
Harding was busy all day for his side, while Kieran King was also outstanding in the middle.
But they waged a losing battle against a Mt Gravatt side that played with more passion than at any stage this year.
Former Lions favourite Darryl White had a day out, controlling play from across half-back and the centreline.
Scott Clouston had a lively battle with former Port Adelaide rookie list player Gavin Grose, working hard at centre-half-forward for the first three quarters but letting himself down with his shooting at goal.
Johnstone finished the day with 30 possessions and was shadowed for much of it by 17-year-old Sean Yoshiura.
He won plenty of hard ball, although it was difficult to find targets in the forward line with loose men aplenty in each defensive unit.
Matt Tyler battled hard against the odds and locked down on Bill Cleary after the high marking one-time Lions top-up player kicked four goals in the first 35 minutes of the match.
Daniel Dzufer started superbly at half-back but found the weight of numbers eventually told, while Cornelius battled hard at both ends of the ground.
Top-up player from last year Don Barry, who shone in the Lions colours, hurt the side yesterday with a dazzling performance at half-back for Mt Gravatt.
The 21-year-old Papua New Guinean played brilliant one-touch football and used it exceptionally well.
One of the favourites for this year’s Grogan Medal, Nathan Gilliland, also did well with 31 possessions and 3.3 for the home side.
While Mt Gravatt can make up further percentage ground on the Lions reserves at bottom placed Western Magpies on Saturday, the Lions face a tricky encounter with Aspley at Graham Road on Sunday.
Aspley have won their last two matches, albeit against the lowly Magpies and Broadbeach, but they do play their home ground particularly well.
SCOREBOARD
Mt Gravatt 6.7 10.7 13.16 18.17 (125)
Lions Reserves 1.0 2.2 2.4 7.6 (48)
GOALS - Vultures: W. Cleary 5, N. Gilliland 3, D. Savage 2, A. Pratt, T. Spencer, D. White, B. Wallis, T. Jamieson, M. Hamill, D. Barry, A. Tarrant. Lions: A. Cornelius 2, J. Power 2, S. Harding, J. Tippett, D. Murray.
BEST - Vultures: S. Carins, W. Cleary, D. White, N. Gilliland, S. Yoshiura, D. Savage. Lions: M. Tyler, S. Harding, T. Johnstone, K. King, A. Cornelius, D. Dzufer.
