A striking performance by first-year key forward draftee Bryce Retzlaff and the continued development of tall Irishman Niall McKeever were the only bright spots on an otherwise disappointing day for the Brisbane Lions Reserves on Saturday.
The Lions trailed Labrador all day and eventually succumbed 19.15 (129) to 13.9 (87) for a rare Gabba loss against the Tigers.
Playing against his old club, Retzlaff provided a solid target all day and finished off his good work with four goals.
McKeever continued to do everything asked of him in a defensive role and is learning more with every outing.
Midfielder Troy Selwood started the game strongly with 10 possessions in the opening term as the Lions fell behind by nine points.
The ruck duels were even for most of the day, with former Lions giant Trent Knobel and colourful character Peter Everitt breaking even with Broc McCauley.
But Labrador were more effective around the stoppages, with Todd Featherstone and Mat Clarke in everything.
They had a reliable target up forward in Tim Notting, who played further up the ground than in recent weeks but was still a strong contributor with four goals.
The nuggetty Michael Doyle proved a solid foil with four goals of his own, while Everitt and Knobel exposed the Lions’ height deficiencies with four goals between them.
Aaron Cornelius kicked three goals alongside Retzlaff to take his season tally to 20, level with Southport’s Richmond recruit Cleve Hughes and one behind Notting.
The Lions fielded 15 listed players plus international rookies McKeever and Don Barry.
Their top-up players all had a red-hot go, with the coaching staff pleased with the input of Kyle Goodman, a lightly framed 17-year-old from the Curra Swans in Townsville who is now on the Redland Bombers supplementary list.
Tom Bell, and 18-year-old key position utility from Morningside, also did some good things, as did Chris Wittkopp and Conrad Hudghton, the younger brother of former St Kilda star Max.
In other QAFL games, former Lion Shane Morrison kicked three goals in a grinding low scoring win by Mt Gravatt over the Western Magpies, Hughes booted nine goals as Southport beat Aspley by 78 points, the NT Thunder blitzed Broadbeach early to win by six goals in Darwin, and one-time Lions rookie Paul Shelton was dynamite as Morningside beat Redland in a high-scoring, highly entertaining clash at Esplen Oval.
The Lions Reserves are one of five teams with two wins for the season, dropping from fourth to sixth place on the QAFL premiership table.
SCORES
Labrador 4.4 10.7 13.11 19.15 (129)
Lions Reserves 3.1 7.2 11.4 13.9 (87)
GOALS
Tigers: T. Notting 4, M. Doyle 4, T. Knobel 2, M. Clarke 2, P. Everitt 2, T. Lester, S. Paterson , J. Slattery , S. Wrigley , N. Stockdale.
Lions: B Retzlaff 4, A. Cornelius 3, K. Goodman 2, C. Bartlett , J. O''Brien , B. McCaulay , T. Selwood.
BEST
Tigers: S. Susuve, T. Lester, M. Clarke, T. Featherstone, T. Knobel, M. Doyle.
Lions: B. Retzlaff, N. McKeever, T. Bell, C. Wittkopp, K. Goodman, C. Hudghton.
