A brilliant final quarter fightback against Sydney fell agonisingly short for the Brisbane Lions Reserves at Giffin Park, Coorparoo today.

Trailing by 47 points early in the fourth term, the Lions blasted seven unanswered goals to draw within a point with five minutes remaining, only to concede the last goal and lose 14.13 (97) to 16.8 (104).

“It was a very frustrating game,” lamented Lions Reserves coach Nathan Clarke after having watched his side produce two excellent quarters after two poor efforts.

The Lions were left in the starting blocks as the Swans piled on 5.2 to 0.3 in the opening term, with Swans midfielder Luke Parker and ruckman Daniel Currie causing plenty of problems. Currie won an unusual number of ruck interference free kicks in the centre, while there were 65 free-kicks on the day in the stop-start contest.

Former Southport utility Jesse White was busy up forward and the Lions would have been further behind but for the outstanding defensive work of James Hawksley.

The Lions struggled to win the ball through the early stages of the second term before finally hitting gear, piling on six goals in the second half of the quarter and moving to within 17 points at halftime.

Andrew Raines’ run-and-carry created plenty of opportunities for the Lions, while Amon Buchanan won plenty of contested ball alongside Ryan Harwood.

Young Western Magpies top-up player Scott Clarke kicked 3.1 for the quarter after being moved from defence at quarter-time.

There were two pivotal losses for the Lions, with Raines taking a shower at halftime and leaving for the Gabba as an emergency for the senior side. In contrast, Sydney kept their emergency, quality midfielder Jared Moore, on the ground until three-quarter-time.

The Lions also lost Clarke in the opening minutes of the third quarter with a broken collarbone, losing a man who was proving a difficult match-up for the Swans.

Sydney skipped away to a 41-point lead at the main break, kicking 10 goals to one at what is usually the ‘dead’ end of the ground, with the experienced Paul Bevan doing plenty of damage.

The game looked over as a contest when the Swans goalled early, but the Lions finished full of running.

Hawksley was brilliant throughout, hurting the Swans with the odd burst in the midfield and he could not have done any more with his 38 possessions.

Buchanan and Harwood continued to be busy and strong marking forward Aaron Cornelius capitalised on the delivery into the forward line with three final term goals to give him six for the day.

Ruckmen Broc McCauley and Bart McCulloch gave the Lions an armchair ride as Currie tired from his huge efforts over the opening three quarters.

The Swans used their interchange just 30 times for the game compared the Lions’ 105 rotations, which also impacted on the finish.

Matt Maguire was solid at centre-half-back and Niall McKeever held White after the Swan had booted four goals in the first half.

But they couldn’t get their side over the line, the Swans taking the ball the length of the ground and goalling in the dying minutes after Brisbane looked set to score at the other end.

“We know how Sydney like to play with their contested footy but they gave us a lesson in intensity early on,” Clarke said.

“To our guys’ credit they didn’t pack it in and we were right on top in the last 10 minutes of the second quarter. We were full of beans at halftime but then came out flat as tacks in the third quarter.

“We finished really well but it was frustrating…that is the fourth or fifth close one that we’ve lost.”

Clarke was full of praise for Hawksley, who has been outstanding over the last month.

“Hawksley was fantastic - his touch was outstanding and he got a good mix of contested and uncontested ball,” Clarke said.

SCOREBOARD

Brisbane Lions   0.3    6.6    7.9    14.13 (97)
Sydney Swans     5.2    9.5   14.8  16.8 (104)

GOALS - Swans: J. White 4, K. Murphy 2, D. Currie 2, P. Bevan 2, J. Moore, L. Johnston, C. Heath, N. Gordon, B. Sumner, E. Kruger, Lions: A. Cornelius 6, S. Clarke 3, P. Karnezis 3, N. McKeever , J. Parkes

BEST - Swans: B. Sumner, D. Currie, P. Bevan, D. McNeil, L. Parker, J. Brain    Lions: J. Hawksley, A. Buchanan, A. Cornelius, R. Harwood, M. McGuire, A. Kitching