BRISBANE has reinforced its grip on a top-four berth, holding off St Kilda by 28 points led by four goals from Eric Hipwood and an intercept masterclass from Harris Andrews at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
The Lions led by 23 points after a dominant first half, but the Saints always stayed in touch, aided by coach Ross Lyon's half-time adjustments, only for Brisbane to secure a 12.12 (84) to 8.8 (56) victory.
SAINTS v LIONS Full match coverage and stats
Hipwood's fourth goal, from a 45m set shot with 8:50 left in the last term, sealed the win for the Lions. Hipwood has kicked 10 goals across his past three games.
Andrews had a significant influence after Jack Payne matched up on Max King at the opening bounce, freeing up the two-time All-Australian defender to roam down back, with nine intercept marks, one short of the AFL record, along with 21 disposals and 14 marks.
Lachie Neale was brilliant with a team-high 29 disposals including a game-high four centre clearances and 10 clearances.
St Kilda couldn't get the points in Spud's Game, suffering back-to-back losses for the first time this season, slumping to four losses from its past six to sit sixth with an 8-6 record. Brisbane, meanwhile, moves up to third with a 10-4 record.
Jack Sinclair, playing an on-ball role with Seb Ross managed, had a game-high 36 disposals to be St Kilda's best, but Payne kept King to only seven touches, no marks and no goals, while Jack Steele tried hard with limited impact.
St Kilda won the disposal count 356-333, but Brisbane had more inside 50s (54-43), clearances (40-30) and contested marks (14-6).
Jack Higgins kicked the first goal of the game and St Kilda had 27 of the first 33 disposals, but it was Brisbane who had the majority of the play in the first quarter, winning inside 50s 18-7 and responding with three unanswered majors from Joe Daniher, Zac Bailey and Hipwood.
Hipwood added his second after Hugh McCluggage's clever pass, while Oscar McInerney was bossing St Kilda's makeshift second ruck Mitch Owens, and Andrews and Ryan Lester were intercepting at will. The Lions co-captain had a team-high 14 disposals in the first half, including nine intercept possessions along with 11 marks.
After half-time, Lyon moved Owens to Andrews to nullify his influence and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera duly cut the margin back to 17 points early in the third term after pinging Keidean Coleman holding the ball.
The Saints started winning more clearances (12-10 for the third) and the game seesawed, with both sides trading two-goal bursts before Brad Hill's major trimmed the margin to 15 points only for McCluggage to break clear at the next centre bounce and pinpoint Daniher who goaled.
Brisbane appeared panicky in defence in the third, offering St Kilda hope with Jade Gresham snapping the first goal of the last quarter.
Round 14 AFL Rising Star nominee Darcy Wilmot's four-bounce run took some heat off Brisbane but the Saints kept coming, although the Lions needed a favourable goal review to prevent Max King's snapped goal from a forward 50 stoppage which would’ve trimmed the margin to 10 points.
The Lions, however, rallied with Coleman kicking truly after a 50m penalty against Dougal Howard on the wing, followed by Hipwood's sealer.
Stocker on report for dangerous tackle
The dangerous tackle debate will rage again this week with Liam Stocker reported after flinging Hipwood to the turf late in the first half. Stocker's tackle, where he pinned Hipwood's left arm, left the Lions forward momentarily rattled and the umpire immediately reported the Saints backman. Hipwood, who missed the set shot out on the full, played out the game without apparent issue. A visibly frustrated King might have dodged an MRO bullet himself after wildly flailing an arm at Lester's head in an attempt to spoil, which made only minor contact, if any at all.
Lions dominate at Marvel despite MCG issues
Brisbane's form in Melbourne is simply perplexing. For all the discussion about its MCG record, having won once in its past 14 games at the venue including a shock loss to Hawthorn a fortnight ago, the Lions have an excellent recent record across town at Docklands. In fact, the Lions have won seven of their past eight at Marvel. Chris Fagan won't want to talk about it but figuring out what's working at Marvel and translating that to their MCG games will help them go far in September.
Shades of deja vu for Saints
The Saints may have a different coach in 2023, but their recent wobbles have shades of 2022, when they slipped from an 8-3 record under Brett Ratten to miss the finals. Lyon will profess this is different, but try telling that to Saints fans after losing three of their past four games. The reality is St Kilda has gone 4-6 since its 4-0 start to the year and it could be as low as seventh by the end of this round.
ST KILDA 1.0 2.3 6.5 8.8 (56)
BRISBANE 3.4 5.8 9.8 12.12 (84)
GOALS
St Kilda: Wanganeen-Milera, Sinclair, Hill, Higgins, Gresham, Caminiti, Byrnes, Butler
Brisbane: Hipwood 4, Daniher 2, Rayner, Dunkley, Coleman, Cameron, Berry, Bailey
BEST
St Kilda: Sinclair, Wood, Wanganeen-Milera, Battle, Hill, Higgins
Brisbane: Andrews, Hipwood, Neale, Dunkley, Berry, Rayner
INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
Brisbane: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Cooper Sharman (replaced Ryan Byrnes in third quarter)
Brisbane: Darcy Fort (replaced Kai Lohmann in third quarter)
Crowd: 28,985 at Marvel Stadium
