LIONS MARCH ON
BRISBANE warmed up for this Saturday’s QClash with the Gold Coast with a clinical 24-point disposal of Fremantle at the Gabba on Sunday night.
The match was originally set down for Perth’s Optus Stadium but was transferred to Brisbane due to COVID cases in Western Australia.
But it would not have mattered where the teams played as the Lions controlled the contest.
Brisbane cruised to its fourth-straight win and fifth victory from its past six starts to move to fifth on the ladder while the Dockers dropped back to a 4-4 record.
After a slow start to their 2021 campaign, the Lions are rumbling nicely now with the likes of Jarryd Lyons, Daniel Rich, Hugh McCluggage, Charlie Cameron, Dayne Zorko and Harris Andrews to the fore again.
But it was a classic team effort as the backline was stingy, the midfield got plenty of the Sherrin and the forward line shared the spoils.
David Mundy and Nat Fyfe battled manfully for the Dockers, who were outclassed and out-muscled for much of the day as the final margin flattered the visitors.
Brisbane extended its advantage to 47 points midway through the third term after goals to Lyons and Dan McStay but Freo dragged back the margin to 32 points at the last break after goals to Fyfe, Mundy and Michael Walters.
The Lions had a 34-point cushion at half time with Callum Ah Chee, Rhys Mathieson and Cameron all hitting the scoreboard, while the only resistance from Fremantle came from a Matt Taberner major.
Fremantle’s Caleb Serong kicked the first goal of the match but it was all Brisbane after that in the first term with twin towers Eric Hipwood and Joe Daniher getting the ball rolling for the home side.