1. Browny – will he go on or won't he?

Jonathan Brown's plantar fascia injury will have tongues wagging about the big man's future. Brown is 31, off contract, yet to commit to a 14th season in Brisbane and now faces a big stint in rehab. If he wants another season, he'll get it, but it might all boil down to the length of time on the sidelines. The injury will wipe out the last four games of this season, but what the future holds, no-one knows. If Brown calls it quits, it would be a sad way to finish his glittering 245-game career, but the Lions' champion fought back from shocking facial injuries just two years ago, so you'd be crazy to bet against him doing the same again.

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2. The curious case of Ahmed Saad

The young St Kilda forward came under plenty of pressure after being snuck into the starting 22 via the back door on match eve. Under investigation for an irregular A-sample last month, he was rushed to Brisbane on Friday night as an emergency replacement for Trent Dennis-Lane and then was inserted into the starting 18 for an ill Jack Newnes. A gastro bug going through the team had forced the Saints' hand on the selection, coach Scott Watters explained after the match. Despite the boos of the Lions fans when he went near the ball, Saad was cool under pressure with the minimal chances he received. He had just three touches, but finished with two goals, including a brilliant first quarter effort from deep in the forward pocket with spectators abusing him from over the fence.

3. Rich learning to ditch the taggers

He's developing into the Lions' most lethal player, but Daniel Rich has been shut down too many times this season when being sat on by opposition taggers. From a paltry eight touches in the opening round against the Bulldogs' Nick Lower to a largely ineffective 14 against Port's Kane Cornes last week, it's become a worrying trend. With Simon Black (groin) and Brent Moloney (soreness) still missing, Rich was the man in the sights of St Kilda's Clint Jones, but the Lions' blonde bomber responded in style. Three thumping goals from outside 55m highlighted his first half explosion, and despite being quieter in the second half, the damage was done and Rich finished with 19 disposals to be one of the game's most influential players.

4. Goose kicks his first snag in seven years

It was a long time coming, but Matt Maguire made it worth the wait. Not since round 14, 2006 when he was playing for the Saints against Collingwood has the regular full-back kicked a goal at senior level. But swung forward in the second half against his old team, 'Goose' brought the house down with a brilliant fourth-quarter goal. After setting one up for 150^th gamer Brent Staker moments earlier, Maguire kicked truly from deep in the right forward pocket, much to the amusement of the crowd and his teammates.

5. Lions lose free kick count, again

Three weeks ago it was Michael Voss lamenting his team's poor discipline and earlier this week it was vice-captain Tom Rockliff. Either the Lions haven't learnt or they can't understand the interpretations being conveyed by umpire's boss Jeff Gieschen because they were on the end of another hiding from the umpires on Saturday night. They lost the free kick count 19-7, the eighth match in succession and 13th in 18 overall that they have received few free kicks than their opposition. It can't just be bad luck.