After Carlton blew them away with an eight-goal second quarter to establish a 41-point lead at the main break, the Lions rebounded with six goals of their own in the third term to the Blues' two, and closed to within 12 points in the last quarter.
Brendon Fevola, who finished with five goals, sealed the deal with two in a minute mid-way through the final quarter – one from a strong contested mark, the second from a snap off one-step.
Carlton won 18.11 (119) to the Lions' 15.10 (100) in front of 42,496 spectators.
Luke Power, Josh Drummond and the returning Simon Black fought hard for the Lions, and Daniel Bradshaw was always a threat up forward, finishing with six goals from just 11 kicks.
In bad news for the Lions, skipper Jonathan Brown was reported for alleged rough conduct on Murphy in the final quarter.
The Blues appeared to have the match won at half time after a second quarter in which they were utterly dominant in possessions, centre breaks and inside-50 entries.
The Lions had led by a point at the first change, and the contest looked destined to be close all night, but Carlton's second term was irresistible.
Bradshaw goaled within a minute of the resumption after half time, but livewire Eddie Betts replied soon afterwards and when Gibbs finished off a great length-of-the-ground move from the Blues, the margin was 48 points.
Then the tenor of the match changed, and the Lions began to work much harder.
The result was five consecutive goals, cutting the Blues' lead to just 18 points at the last change.
Bradshaw kicked three in the third quarter after his opponent Michael Jamison was forced to leave the field with a shoulder injury.
The three-quarter time margin could have been closer if not for a collision between Jonathan Brown and Black in a marking contest close to goal.
The fight-back from the Lions came when the midfield players began to run harder and put more pressure on their opponents.
CARLTON 3.2 11.5 13.8 18.11 (119)
BRISBANE LIONS 3.3 4.6 10.8 15.10 (100)
GOALS
Carlton: Fevola 5, Betts 3, Murphy 3, Cloke 2, Gibbs 2, Hadley, Houlihan, Judd
Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 6, Brown 3, Hooper 2, Sherman 2, Johnstone, McGrath
BEST
Carlton: Gibbs, Judd, Murphy, Fevola, Hadley, Kreuzer, Waite, Houlihan
Brisbane Lions: Power, Bradshaw, Black, Drummond, Brown, Rich, Adcock
INJURIES
Carlton: Jamison (shoulder)
Brisbane Lions: McGrath (corked thigh), Clark (thigh), Hooper (ankle), Selwood (head knock)
Reports: Jonathan Brown reported by emergency umpire Troy Pannell in the fourth quarter for rough conduct on Marc Murphy.
Umpires: Rosebury, Chamberlain, Keating
Official crowd: 42,496 at Docklands
