Alastair Lynch kicked six goals in a dominant performance which sends a clear message to all rivals as the Lions eye a premiership ‘three-peat’. And they did it without senior coach Leigh Matthews who was in Melbourne for his daughter’s wedding.
Brisbane captain Michael Voss and Simon Black led the way with 20 possessions while young Richard Hadley finished with 19.
Maxfield had 17 kicks and six handballs for his 23 disposals to lead by example in what was otherwise a disappointing performance by the home side.
With Gary O’Donnell calling the shots in the box, the experienced Lions scored the first two goals before Barry Hall and Scott Stevens majored to narrow the gap.
But when Jason Akermanis kicked his second goal in the opening term – the third in time added on – the visitors led 5.1 (31) to 2.1 (13).
Lynch ensured the second quarter started in similar fashion, giving Andrew Schauble nightmares in the process kicking four straight majors, three inside four minutes.
When Voss kicked a six-pointer just before the main break the Lions had raced to a 53 point lead, and managed to keep Sydney scoreless in the second term.
Paul Williams started the third quarter with an early goal, but any thoughts of a heroic comeback were quickly quashed as Lynch kicked his fifth.
Barry Hall scored his second major of the night followed by Ryan O’Keefe making the score 11.6 (72) to 5.1 (31) before Lynch kicked his sixth and Dylan McLaren chimed in for one for a 48-point margin at the final break.
The Lions took their foot off the pedal in the final term as Daryn Cresswell, Adam Goodes and Adam Schneider goals made the score more respectable.
BRISBANE: 0.5.1 0.10.6 0.13.7 0.14.9 (93)
SYDNEY: 0.2.1 0.2.1 0.6.2 0.9.7 (61)
Nine-point goals: Brisbane: nil Sydney: nil
Six-point goals: Brisbane: A Lynch 6, J Akermanis 2, M Voss, A Shattock, D Pratt, R Copeland, D McLaren, J Charman. Sydney: B Hall 3, S Stevens, P Williams, R O’Keefe, D Cresswell, A Goodes, A Schneider.
Best: Brisbane: M Voss A Lynch S Black C Johnson, B Scott, J Akermanis. Sydney: P Williams S Stevens, A Goodes, L Ablett, S Maxfield.
Umpires: M Vozzo M McKenzie J Baldwin M Head.
Crowd: 8276.
Injuries: Brisbane: C Keating (foot). Sydney: Nicks (cork thigh), Creswell (cork calf), Craig Bolton (groin)
Reports: nil.
At Telstra Stadium, Sydney.
