The Brisbane Lions have made an emphatic statement – and handed Geelong a stark reality check – by producing a stunning 44-point victory in a fiery blockbuster at The Gabba.
Despite the Cats’ early-game contested possession dominance, they couldn’t handle the ferocious heat the Lions applied, which led to nine goals between Joe Daniher, Charlie Cameron, Lincoln McCarthy.
Brisbane set the tone with a four-goal to zip first term and, outside of a four-minute patch in the second term, never looked challenge on their way to a 44-point win over the Cats, 13.16 (94) to 7.8 (50). It was Geelong’s lowest score of the season and their biggest loss of 2021 to date.
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The Lions lost veteran defender Grant Birchall as a late change, replaced by young tall Jack Payne. The subs were Rhys Mathieson (Brisbane) and Quinton Narkle (Geelong).
Joe Daniher asserted his authority on the game early. He beat direct opponent Lachie Henderson in a one-on-one then won a free kick to kick the first goal of the game. Lincoln McCarthy then slotted another to give Brisbane a fast start.
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Halfway through the first term, the Cats were going at just 45 per cent efficiency by foot as they struggled to generate clean ball movement chains.
“They (the Lions) are getting through here. They’ve been able to pick holes in the Geelong defence, ” Richmond legend Matthew Richardson told Channel 7.
Brisbane was then dealt a massive injury scare, with Lachie Neale appearing to suffer a shoulder injury after being tackled by Jeremy Cameron.
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But just as it appeared Mathieson was going to be subbed into game, Neale was injected back into the game after getting the tick of approval from the Lions’ medical staff.
The Lions later confirmed Neale hadn’t suffered an AC joint injury, but rather a potential subluxation — an injury can play through but could lead to surgery at season’s end.
Charlie Cameron and McCarthy then kicked crucial goals for the Lions to give them a 31-point lead at quarter-time. It was the first time this season Geelong had been held goalless in a first quarter.
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The Cats had more of the ball (+18 disposals and +10 contested possessions), but the Lions’ elite pressure (+11 tackles) meant the Cats had no easy possessions.
The Cats tried to slow the tempo of the game down at the start of the second term, but it was Brisbane that hit the scoreboard first, with Cameron kicking his second goal.
But just as the Lions threatened to kick away, the Cats slammed on three consecutive goals, with Zach Tuohy finding space and producing a lovely kick on the run before Patrick Dangerfield and Isaac Smith converted set-shots from free kicks.
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Tom Stewart gave away a free kick and 50m penalty to Cameron, sparking a melee. Lion Joe Daniher then won a soft free to kick a goal. Minutes later, Eric Hipwood ws penalised for a push in the back using his foot, leaving the Lions forward flabbergasted.
On the half-time siren, Daniher kicked his third goal of the game to extend the Lions’ lead back out to 34 points at the main change.
“They (the Lions) are getting beaten in clearances and contested possessions. But because they’re active in the stoppages, it’s allowing them to get out of the stoppage really quickly and Geelong look like they’re stuck in the mud, ” four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis told Fox Footy.
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Dual premiership Kangaroo David King added: “We’ve seen some uncharacteristic mistakes form Geelong, but it’s off the back of pressure and harassment, the want to tackle, the want to stick your tackles. I don’t care what team you are, you can’t live under this sort of pressure and remain effective.”
The Lions at the start of the third term picked up from where they left off, with Jarryd Lyons kicking a goal to make it a game-high 41-point lead for Brisbane.
That lead was soon extended, as Daniher booted his fourth and Cameron kicked his third after a spectacular mark over Brad Close.
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Tuohy kicked his second just before half-time to gain some respectability back for Geelong, but the Lions entered three quarter-time with a 43-point lead.
The sting was taken out of the game in the last quarter, with Geelong able to kick a couple of consolation goals.
But a lovely set-shot kick from Eric Hipwood put the cherry on top of the Lions’ most impressive win of the season, which ended the Cats’ six-game winning streak.
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For most teams, losing the reigning Brownlow Medallist would’ve been a disaster; yet when Lachie Neale went down hurt earlier this season, Brisbane didn’t miss a step.
There are many reasons for that, but a crucial one has been the return of Dayne Zorko to the AFL’s elite; and that may be another understatement, because no-one has been better than him over the last six weeks. Literally no-one.
The number one rated player in the AFL between Rounds 10 and 14, Zorko has been spectacular - and in a season where he wasn’t expected to play a crucial role.
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After all, Cam Rayner was about to move from half-forward into the midfield before he tore his ACL in the pre-season; that would’ve pushed Zorko out of the middle. But the skipper stepped up, just as he did again when Neale went down.
North Melbourne dual premiership player David King called on Geelong to use Mark O’Connor to tag Zorko before Thursday night’s match, rather than Neale as they did back in Round 2. Instead, the Cats went to their old tactic.
“The argument is do you try and surprise and get O’Connor to go to Zorko? Or do you go with what you know has worked before?
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At half-time, Zorko had 16 disposals and a game-high seven score involvements. Meanwhile just minutes into the third quarter, he had laid nine tackles; he was everywhere.
“Lachie Neale’s getting tagged and he’s playing more of a selfless role, which is allowing Zorko to be more active around the stoppages.”
Zorko finished with 24 disposals, 12 tackles, two goal assists and 12 score involvements; a somewhat quiet finish, but another excellent night.
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Geelong came in as the AFL’s inarguable form team, with six consecutive victories; only two other teams even came into Round 15 on a two-win streak.
Yet after two impressive wins over fellow contenders, the Cats faceplanted in their third opportunity, kept to just 0.1 in the first quarter by a dominant Brisbane and losing comfortably in the end.
That was despite the fact Geelong led the contested ball and clearances the entire night. It was a bizarre dichotomy; in a game between two tremendous midfields, you’d think the one that got on top would have a clear path to victory.
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But instead Brisbane flipped the script, playing an intense pressure game and controlling the turnover game that the Cats usually dominate themselves.
Geelong came into the round No.1 in the AFL for points scored from turnovers; to halftime they had kicked just 0.3 to Brisbane’s 7.6 from that crucial source.
“Defensively they were brilliant … they’ve been able to force Geelong into decisions they haven’t wanted or executed or delivered upon. They’ve challenged them to be perfect with the ball and they’ve failed.
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“We’ve seen some uncharacteristic mistakes form Geelong, but it’s off the back of pressure and harassment, the want to tackle, the want to stick your tackles. I don’t care what team you are, you can’t live under this sort of pressure and remain effective.”
“But because they’re active in the stoppages, it’s allowing them to get out of the stoppage really quickly and Geelong look like they’re stuck in the mud.”
After all, if you’d told Geelong fans going in their side would go 2-1 against Port Adelaide (away), the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane (away), they probably would’ve taken that every day of the week.
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Plus, this was about as good as Brisbane has looked all year. Blowouts between contenders aren’t uncommon; one top side playing at its best can thump another top side that isn’t. We saw it in last year’s finals with these very same Cats.
“The big question coming out of tonight ... is it an event? It’s certainly not a trend, but there’s some scarring with this sort of loss, ” he said post-game on Fox Footy.
“You talk about the coaches’ box; did they get some things wrong? Do they have to look at Henderson now? Do they have to look at Higgins, who was really fumbly, couldn’t hit a target?”
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Sent to Charlie Cameron to try and negate the exciting forward’s ground-ball dominance, Stewart was unable to do so, and instead he was completely taken out of the contest.
“Just tried to make the most of it, stop him from getting the ball because he’s pretty good in the air ... just tried to use my speed and get a little bit of position.”
To be fair even if Stewart wasn’t playing so directly on Cameron, he wouldn’t have been able to intercept at will as he did