A storming finish by the Brisbane Lions Reserves gave fast-starters Mt Gravatt a fright but the Vultures held their nerve to win 15.13 (103) to 14.14 (98) at Dittmer Park in the NEAFL yesterday.
Mt Gravatt produced their best opening quarter of the season to lead by 30 points at the first change and held sway by 4-5 goals right through until time-on of the final term.
The Lions booted three goals in six minutes to get within striking distance but Mt Gravatt controlled the ball for the final minute to prevail and keep a hold of second place on the northern conference table.
It was a solid all-round team performance by the Vultures, while the Lions Reserves had a number of standouts.
Amon Buchanan collected a whopping 47 possessions and won more centre clearances than any individual for a long time in this competition.
Coach Nathan Clarke suited up for his first game in the 18 months since he left Eastlake as captain-coach due to a dearth of available top-ups and contributed four second half goals in a classy performance.
Former Vulture Don Barry almost cruelled his old club with a huge second half, locking down on Albert Proud and winning a large amount of ball himself.
The Lions clawed back into the game on the back of Barry’s dynamic third quarter, Buchanan and Clarke’s heroics and some cameos by Western Magpies top-up players Brendan Saunders and Matt Green.
Big men Broc McCauley and Bart McCullough became strong marking options and Aaron Cornelius came into the game up forward.
Josh Dyson and Brent Harvey also were good ballwinners for the visitors.
“We had a lot of top-ups but they were great. They all did their bit,” said Clarke, who had just 11 listed players at his disposal.
“I reckon you have got to give Mt Gravatt some credit. I doubt they put the queue in the rack but they probably felt the game was safe in their keeping. You tend to drop off a bit in a game like that. And to our boys’ credit they kept coming.”
Mt Gravatt skipper Josh Vearing was cool and imposed himself every time Brisbane threatened while Nathan Gilliland did a power of work in defence to compliment his two first half goals.
“He was our only player to halftime who worked through the three zones of the game,” Mt Gravatt coach David Lake said. “He would win the ball down back and run into the second zone to be available where other would walk out.”
The loss ended the Lions’ slim finals hopes and was their sixth loss by three goals or less.
Clarke, who was adamant his appearance was a one-off, will now look for his side to shape the eight with some upsets, while continuing to groom players for AFL football.
Vultures coach Lake has endured four close finishes in as many games, the first two losses and the last two victories.
“I’d sooner go through it again and learn,” he said of the close finish. “I think we’ve got better at doing it (controlling the game in the clutch).”
Scores:
Mt Gravatt 7.4, 10.7, 13.9, 15.13 (103)
Brisbane Lions 2.4, 4.6, 10.6, 14.14 (98)
GOALS, Mt Gravatt: J. Furfaro 3, N. Gilliland 2, D. Russo 1, R. Lake 1, C. Smith 1, A. Proud 1, M. Pennington 1, S. Yoshiura 1, G. Grose 1, T. Spencer 1, A. Evans 1, M. Harley 1 Brisbane Lions: N. Clarke 4, B. Saunders 2, A. Cornelius 2, M. Austin 1, B. Harvey 1, A. Dickfos 1, B. McCulloch 1, M. Green 1, A. Buchanan 1
BEST, Mt Gravatt: A. Tarrant, L. Scott, S. Yoshiura, N. Gilliland, J. Furfaro, A. Proud Brisbane Lions: A. Buchanan, D. Barry, J. Dyson, T. Collier, B. Harvey, B. Saunders.
