The Brisbane Lions maintained their imposing home record at the Gabba with a hard-fought 18-point victory over the Adelaide Crows on Saturday night.
Brisbane’s win - 16.11 (107) to 12.17 (89) – came after they found themselves behind by 23 points during the second quarter and facing a fierce challenge during a tense final term.
Holding a slender seven-point advantage as the last period entered time-on, Alastair Lynch led superbly to mark and goal and extend Brisbane’s lead to 13 points. He then booted the sealer moments later after yet another pressure mark close to goal.
Lynch, who proved too strong for Nathan Bassett, finished the match with 7.1 from eight kicks and six strong marks, benefiting from the excellent work further up the field from skipper Michael Voss, Simon Black and Shaun Hart.
Earlier, as two of the competition’s premier midfielders went at it, it was Adelaide that initially emerged ahead, with Simon Goodwin and Mark Bickley seeing plenty of the footy and feeding their small forward line.
The Crows opened with the surprising pair of Graham Johncock and Andrew McLeod at full-forward, a tactic that yielded good results. After Lynch opened the scoring courtesy of a free-kick, the Crows put through the next three and eventually led by 15 at quarter-time.
Moving the ball quickly with numbers through the middle, Adelaide continued to take it up to the Lions and opened a 23-point midway through the second quarter with goals to Mark Bickley and James Gallagher.
Challenged, the Lions responded, putting through three of the last four goals of the first half to trail by only 12 points at the long break.
Brisbane took the lead in the third quarter, its stable of midfield thoroughbreds taking control of the middle and pushing forward to kick goals.
Instead of Goodwin or Bickley running towards goal, as happened in the first half, it was now Black – who booted two in the third quarter – and Blake Caracella.
The Lions drew level 11 minutes into the quarter thanks to Black’s first, a brilliant snap under pressure inside 50. Moments later they were in front, when Jamie Charman hit the post from dead in front, the ruckman unable to take full advantage of a wonderful intercept at half-back by Jason Akermanis.
Late in time-on, Justin Leppitsch bounced one through from beyond 50 to give the Lions a six-point edge at the final change.
The win moves Brisbane back atop the ladder with six wins, a draw and one loss, while the Crows fall to 4-4.
In the next round, the Lions take on Carlton at Optus Oval on Saturday, while the Crows host the Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium the next day.
BRISBANE LIONS: 3.1 7.3 12.8 16.11 (107)
ADELAIDE: 5.4 8.9 10.14 12.17 (89)
GOALS: Brisbane Lions: Lynch 7, McRae, Black 2, Brennan, Leppitsch, Power, Caracella, Voss
Adelaide: McLeod, Edwards, Perrie 2, Biglands, Bickley, McGregor, Goodwin, Burns, Gallagher
BEST: Brisbane Lions: Voss, Power, Lynch, Black, Power, Hart, McRae
Adelaide: Bickley, Ricciuto, Edwards, Gallagher, Goodwin, Ladhams
INJURIES: Brisbane Lions: Nil
Adelaide: Burns (groin), Crowell (hamstring), Begley (concussion)
CHANGES: Brisbane Lions: McDonald (foot) replaced in the selected side by McLaren.
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: Allen, Ryan and Sheehan
CROWD: 34,469 at the Gabba.
