THE BRISBANE Lions might have lost the game but they would have lost few admirers in going down to Hawthorn by 12 points at the Gabba on Saturday night.

On what constitutes a chilly autumn’s evening in Brisbane, the 30,019-strong crowd was treated to a fine attacking game and forward masterclasses by Daniel Bradshaw and Lance Franklin.

But despite seven goals from Bradshaw, it was Hawthorn that pulled out the stops in the final quarter to record a 19.16 (130) to 17.16 (118) win.

Key to Hawthorn’s fifth straight win was Franklin, who was a handful for the Lions’ defence throughout and finished with eight goals.

The Lions had their chances and trailed by only two points at three-quarter-time as they looked to celebrate Luke Power’s 200th game with a home victory.

But their bid was ultimately snuffed out by Franklin’s three last-quarter majors, with Luke Hodge icing the game for the Hawks with a running goal from 55m.

The Lions will now sweat over Monday’s match review panel deliberations, after Jonathan Brown appeared to be reported for crashing into the back of Sam Mitchell in a marking contest.

The Lions had a disappointing start to Power’s milestone game, losing co-captain Nigel Lappin to Achilles tightness pre-game and then seeing the Hawks kick the first two goals of the night through Roughead and Franklin.

But the Lions soon hit back via a set shot to Bradshaw and a brilliant swooping effort from Rhan Hooper – establishing a pattern that would continue throughout the night.

Each time the Hawks showed the polish that had taken them to the top of the ladder, the Lions found answers and a slice of momentum of their own.

Ash McGrath, playing his first game of the season, converted late in the first quarter to give the Lions a four-point edge headed into quarter-time and the home side kicked clear in the early exchanges of term two.

With Simon Black affecting a clean clearance and pin-pointing a pass to Bradshaw, the Lions went 10 points ahead within sixty seconds of the re-start.

But this time it was Hawthorn which conjured a reply. Mark Williams provided a spark with some strong marking on the lead and Alastair Clarkson’s charges booted six goals to three for the rest of the quarter to take an eight-point advantage at half-time.

Most fans would have gone into the long break expecting an equally exciting second half and the third quarter action didn’t let them down.

Franklin marked superbly on the lead and kicked an improbable goal from the left-forward pocket, before Bradshaw and Ash McGrath goaled in the space of a minute for the Lions.

Robbie Copeland hit the post from 25m shortly afterwards with a shot that would have put the Lions in front, but the home crowd didn’t have to wait long for something to cheer about.

After Cyril Rioli snapped a beauty from hard on the boundary line, Bradshaw booted his fifth of the evening and Travis Johnstone chimed in with a major that briefly gave the Lions the lead.

There was barely time to draw breath, as Franklin and Brad Sewell kicked truly to wrest back the lead for Hawthorn and Anthony Corrie replied at the other end - narrowing the margin to less than a kick at three-quarter-time and setting up a cracking finale.

For the Lions, Bradshaw continued his amazing return from a knee reconstruction, while Simon Black had 12 hard ball gets amid his team-high 29 possessions.

Power was especially good early en route to 23 disposals, with Michael Rischitelli, Travis Johnstone, Justin Sherman and Anthony Corrie all contributing at times.

Brown had a quiet night by his own lofty standards, taking 10 marks and gathering 10 possessions.

HAWTHORN                 4.5   10.9   14.13   19.16 (130)
BRISBANE LIONS       5.3   9.7   14.11   17.16 (118)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Franklin 8, Rioli 2, Williams 2, Mitchell, Sewell, Hodge, Osborne, Young, Ellis, Roughead
Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 7, Johnstone 2, McGrath 2, Adcock, Corrie, Hooper, Charman, Begley, Leuenberger

BEST
Hawthorn: Franklin, Croad, Mitchell, Sewell, Crawford, Burchill
Brisbane Lions: Black, Bradshaw, Power, Johnstone, Sherman, Rischitelli

Injuries:
Brisbane Lions: N Lappin (Achilles) replaced in selected side by R Copeland. Hawthorn: Nil.

Reports: J Brown (Brisbane Lions) by umpire L Farmer for charging S Mitchell (Hawthorn) in second quarter.

Umpires: Farmer, Chamberlain, McInerney

Official crowd: 30,019 at the Gabba

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.