In front of another sellout crowd of 34,241, the Lions led all night to post comfortable 37-point win over arch rival Port Adelaide. The 18.15 (123)-12.14 (86) capped a great evening for Darryl White, who celebrated his 250th game and ran onto the ground with children Darryl Junior, William, Jessica and Kobe.
It was the second time in as many matches the Lions beat an opponent level or above them, having rolled Melbourne the previous week. The trilogy will be complete next week when the Lions visit Melbourne for a blockbuster clash against another arch foe, Essendon.
The Queenslanders will go into that game comfortable in the knowldge that their midfield is in top shape. Power and Lappin were unstoppable against the undermanned Port onball brigade, while skipper Michael Voss was again highly effective, and Brad Scott dominated one wing.
The bonus was the performance of Richard Hadley, who played his best game of senior football. The 21-year-old, who eclipsed an ill Brownlow Medallist Mark Ricciuto in Round 2, collected 12 kicks and nine handballs in an impressive effort tonight.
Hadley’s equal team high six tackles alongside Lappin were highly effective, two in the second term resulting in goals to his side at a time the Power were pressing hard.
But it was Luke Power, not Port Power, who lit up the night with a dazzling display. He kicked the first two goals of the game, courtesy of handballs from Simon Black, and was involved in setting up numerous others during the night.
“His clearance work has been really good,” said coach Leigh Matthews, noting Power made three centre clearances and sent the ball inside 50 on a team high nine occasions.
Voss was also masterful in the middle, effecting a game high five centre clearances and seven in total. It was the Lions’ work in the clearances that helped them establish a 19-point break at quarter time and hang onto that for a 17- point lead at the main break.
Lappin collected 10 kicks in the first quarter and enjoyed 21 kicks and nine handballs for the night, while Brad Scott picked up 11 possessions in the opening term against Jarad Schofield and finished with 21 for the evening.
Black was again sublime with his work and showed few signs of the cork that had him under a cloud all week.
The Lions dominated for long periods of the first half without finding a reliable avenue to goal, and were hurt on the rebound by Port. Possession was even early, with Port missing a string of set shots in the opening term. That inaccuracy was reversed in the second term, although the Lions’ misses were due more to Port’s pressure.
Port closed to within nine points midway through the second term, before Jonahan Brown exploded. The big man, back from a two match suspension, booted two goals in three minutes, could have doubled that tally, and grabbed six marks and nine possessions for the quarter.
He and Chad Cornes had a willing duel until that stage, but Cornes was forced from the ground through injury 20 minutes into the Brown onslaught, and he took no further part in the game.
Both teams had chances early in the third term, before Power had a hand in setting up three goals in four minutes midway through the quarter to break the game open.
Daniel Bradshaw, unsighted early, provided a moving target and booted two goals, including one on the siren to make the margin 34 points at the final change.
Jason Akermanis, beaten early by Port’s best player Kane Cornes, finished strongly as both sides booted four goals in the final term.
The star players aside, there were encouraging performances from several of the younger brigade. Dual premiership player Robbie Copeland, only in his fourth season at senior level, produced one of his best games by restricting danger man Byron Picket to one goal and 11 possessions.
Copeland collected a career high 21 possessions, took five strong marks, and rebounded the ball from the defensive 50 on an equal team high five occasions alongside Mal Michael. Michael for his part was outstanding again at full-back.
Second gamer Joel Macdonald looked like he belonged in the big time, limiting the effectiveness of Stewart Dew and taking seven marks, 11 kicks and four handballs himself.
Likewise Anthony Corrie provided the side was some spark and his skilful footpassing was a feature, setting up two Brown goals in the decisive second term.
Tim Notting produced another eye-catching cameo in his 99th game, while Jamie Charman was prominent in his first game back from suspension, winning 17 hitouts and collecting 13 possessions.
White was solid in his milestone game and thrilled the crowd with an acrobatic dive and one fisted spoil from behind on Thurstans early in the last term.
Justin Leppitsch spent most of the game on Warren Tredrea, conceding eight possessions to the Port ace in the opening term but tightening right up to allow him just seven touches in the middle quarters.
The Lions’ pressure on the ball carrier was again a feature of their win.
“Last week our tackling was exceptional and it was good again tonight,” Matthews said.
The Lions went into the game without Shaun Hart, replaced by Corrie, after the veteran broke down with a groin complaint at training on Friday night. It was his first missed game of the year.
Scores:
Brisbane Lions, 6.2, 9.7, 14.11, 18.15 (123)
Port Adelaide, 2.7, 6.8, 8.13, 12.14 (86)
Goals, Lions: Power 3, Brown 3, Hadley 2, Notting 2, Bradshaw 2, Lappin, Voss, Charman, Corrie, Pike, Brennan. Power: Ebert 3, Wanganeen 2, Tredrea 2, Wilson, Dew, Wakelin, Pickett, Mahoney.
Possessions, Lions: Lappin 30, Power 26, Black 22, Copeland 21, Hadley 21, B Scott 21, Voss 21, Brown 20, Akermanis 18, Macdonald 15, Michael 15. Power: K Cornes 26, Cassissi 21, Wilson 19, Schofield 18, Tredrea 18, Dew 17, Wanganeen 17, Bishop 16, Thurstans 16, Hardwick 15.
Best, Lions: Power, Lappin, Brown, Hadley, Voss, Black, B Scott, Copeland, Michael, Macdonald, Charman. Power: K Cornes, Thurstans, Poulton, Wilson, Tredrea, Bishop, Ebert.
Inside 50: Lions 59, Power 48
Hard Ball Gets: Lions 43, Power 32
Clearances: Lions 32, Power 30
Tackles: Lions 48, Power 40
Free kicks: Lions 7, Power 7
Crowd: 34,241 (sell-out)
At the Gabba
