FOR A brief moment it looked like lightning could strike twice at the Gabba, but Brisbane halted a Carlton comeback to storm to a 28-point elimination final win on Saturday night.

The Lions swarmed their opponents in the first half, booting the game's first nine goals to set up the 14.15 (99) to 11.5 (71) victory.

LIONS v BLUES Full match coverage and stats

They will now head south to play Greater Western Sydney in a semi-final for the right to face Geelong the following week in a preliminary final.

The win could come at a cost though, with key defender Jack Payne subbed off at half-time with a knee injury that will be scanned in coming days.

Like its Opening Round loss to Carlton – where it surrendered a 46-point lead – Brisbane had some nervy second-half moments.

The start of the match was an emphatic statement by the Lions as they kept the Blues scoreless through the first term, the first side since North Melbourne in 1974 to have 0.0 next to its name at quarter-time in a final.

Brisbane led by a remarkable 60-0 late in the second quarter, before Carlton banged home five successive goals either side of the main break to reduce the deficit to 31.

The bumper home crowd was audibly nervous.

Brisbane steadied however, and despite some wayward kicking around goal, was never genuinely threatened.

The patched-up Blues were no match early on as the Lions won at stoppages, were clean at ground level and moved the ball with speed and precision, led by the fearless kicking of evergreen Dayne Zorko.

The recently named All-Australian finished with 29 disposals and was the catalyst for victory, taking brave kicks into the corridor and making swift decisions to spark the early onslaught.

Lachie Neale (27), Hugh McCluggage (24) and Will Ashcroft (20) were all influential.

Victory was bankrolled with an exhilarating first-half performance.

Cam Rayner set the tone with a strong overhead mark before wheeling around and drilling a goal from 55m.

Ashcroft, playing in his first final, looked right at home and was instrumental in setting up the next goal for Joe Daniher.

They led by 35 points at the first change, 48 at the half and unlike the corresponding match six months ago, there was no turning it around for the Blues despite their best efforts.

Neale won everything in tight, Zorko, McCluggage, Ashcroft and Darcy Wilmot used it well on the outside and the dynamic forward line all cashed in, with six multiple goalkickers, led by Rayner's three.

Nothing went right for the Blues in the first half, but they didn't help their own cause.

Harry McKay missed everything from 50m and, when Eric Hipwood took a mark 40m from goal, Carlton was more interested in remonstrating and didn't notice Daniher leading into an open goal.

They fought back in the second half, with sub Tom De Koning making a huge impact when he was inserted during the second quarter.

Cripps and Blake Acres tried hard, but there was too much left to too few.

Jack's pain
After being sidelined for seven weeks with a foot injury, the return of Jack Payne into Brisbane's backline was a welcome sight for the home team – but it was short-lived. Payne was playing a strong game opposed to Harry McKay but went to ground in the second quarter and hobbled off with a knee problem. Brisbane will hold its breath as the key defender is scanned early in the week.

Docherty's successful return
Six months after rupturing his ACL on the very same ground, Sam Docherty completed his remarkable return. He took a chest mark on the wing early in the first quarter to settle the nerves and was far, far from Carlton's worst. Docherty finished with 16 disposals and capped his game with a lovely goal on the run from just inside 50m in the final quarter. 

Lions' goalkicking woes return
It was a storyline over the final three weeks of the home and away season – costing them wins against GWS and Collingwood - and will be for the next week, but Brisbane's conversion around goal was again well below par. They kicked well in the first half, but as the Blues closed the gap in the third quarter the goalkicking wobbles returned. Youngster Logan Morris missed a set shot from 15m, Zac Bailey almost missed his boot from the goalsquare and suddenly the behinds flowed. The Blues never got close enough to punish them, but it's an issue that needs resolving.

BRISBANE   5.5    9.7   10.12   14.15 (99)
CARLTON    0.0    2.1     5.2     11.5 (71)

GOALS
Brisbane: Rayner 3, Daniher 2, Ah Chee 2, Morris 2, Lohmann 2, Cameron 2, Bailey
Carlton: McKay 3, Pittonet 2, E.Hollands, Hewett, Fantasia, Docherty, Cripps, Acres

BEST
Brisbane: McCluggage, Zorko, Ashcroft, Neale, Starcevich, Wilmot
Carlton: Cripps, Hewett, Acres, Newman, De Koning, Weitering

INJURIES
Brisbane: Payne (knee)
Carlton: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Conor McKenna (replaced Jack Payne at half-time)
Carlton: Tom De Koning (replaced Matt Kennedy in the second quarter)

Crowd: 35,660 at the Gabba