PORT Adelaide has given up a 47-point lead and its best possible chance of qualifying for the finals by going down to the Brisbane Lions by 15 points at the Gabba on Saturday night.
The Power surged to the huge advantage in the first quarter – kicking 10 goals without a blemish – but were held goalless in the second and fourth terms to lose 16.11 (107) to 14.8 (92).
Led by Daniel Bradshaw (five goals), Jonathan Brown (four) and Michael Rischitelli (three), the Lions chipped away at the Power's lead.
High-pressure goals to Jack Redden, Rischitelli, Bradshaw and Ash McGrath saw the Lions' nine-point deficit at three-quarter time become winning territory.
Rischitelli's goal at the 12-minute mark gave them the lead for the first time.
Port Adelaide was ably led by Travis Boak (32 disposals), Nathan Krakouer (26) and Nick Salter (three goals), while Warren Tredrea kicked four from full-forward.
The Power were always expected to bounce back from last week's disappointing loss to Carlton and started this game incredibly.
Tredrea kicked three in the first quarter and Daniel Motlop two in his return from an ankle injury as Port Adelaide dominated the centre clearances.
At times the Power stole the ball right from the Lions' hands, applying pressure and kicking with astonishing efficiency when anywhere near their forward 50.
Defender Alipate Carlile typified his side's confidence when he burst through the centre square, booting a goal with his foot still planted inside it.
Two of the 10 goals came from free kicks against Luke Power and Joel Patfull within point-blank range, but the rest were generally the result of the Power pouncing on every opportunity.
The Lions tried everything, including shifting Brown onto the ball and Bradshaw into defence, but it couldn't stop the visitors amassing a 40-point buffer at the first change.
In a sign of their complete dominance, Port had 124 disposals to 72 in the first quarter, 28 marks to eight and 20 clearances to 13.
Boak, Jacob Surjan and Kane Cornes, in a stopping role on Simon Black, were the standouts early, showing desperation and toughness around the ground, while Dean Brogan provided a strong body in the stoppages.
The Lions managed to stem the bleeding in the second term, quickly narrowing the margin to 29 points through goals to Brown and Justin Sherman.
But they were missing targets in a sloppy display that could otherwise have seen them draw much closer.
However, the Power's run had stopped, along with the game for several minutes when Brett Ebert collided heavily into the back of Cheynee Stiller.
Stiller was carried off on a stretcher and in a neck brace but there was no report from the marking contest.
The Power's accuracy deserted them, kicking 0.4 including two behinds to Salter from tough angles in the pocket. In contrast, the Lions bagged 4.3.
The second 50m penalty called against the Power saw Bradshaw kick his third goal right on the half-time siren and narrow the margin to 17 points.
It looked like the Lions would battle an injury crisis, with Stiller and Daniel Merrett (hamstring) on the bench and Mitch Clark not returning after half time, apparently feeling dehydrated.
But Clark and Stiller reappeared midway through the new quarter to bolster the Lions' stocks.
Salter found his mark in the third term, kicking two early goals to regain some momentum.
Yet the Lions midfielders twice found Brown, who made the most of both attempts.
Daniel Rich kicked a 70m bomb to bring the 26,437 Gabba fans to life, and the Lions to within 11 points.
Port Adelaide found replies though, with Brendon Lade and Tredrea booting goals from outside 50 to push the margin back out to 23.
But the Lions kicked the last six goals of the game – four in the final quarter – to cement their place in the eight and leave the Power in complete limbo in 10th spot.
Brisbane Lions 3.2 7.5 12.8 16.11 (107)
Port Adelaide 10.0 10.4 14.5 14.8 (92)
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 5, Brown 4, Rischitelli 3, Redden, Sherman, McGrath, Rich
Port Adelaide: Tredrea 4, Salter 3, Motlop 2, Brogan, Burgoyne, Carlile, Lade, Thomas
BEST
Brisbane Lions: Power, Clark, Bradshaw, McGrath, Rischitelli, Brown
Port Adelaide: Krakouer, Carlile, Boak, Brogan, Surjan, Salter
INJURIES
Brisbane Lions: Merrett (hamstring)
Port Adelaide: Robbie Gray (appendix) replaced in selected side by Logan
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Ryan, Chamberlain, Wenn
Official crowd: 26,437 at the Gabba
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
