The resurgent Brisbane Lions have recorded their first home-and-away win on the MCG since 2014 after beautiful Melbourne by 22 factors.
Heading to the Victorian capital underneath stress, the ferocious Lions dominated the Demons with a relentless efficiency in twin Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale’s 250th recreation on Thursday evening.
Trailing by 43 factors at three-quarter-time, Melbourne put via some late objectives as Brisbane ran out winners 12.10 (82) to eight.12 (60) to get their season again on monitor after opening 2024 with three straight defeats.
Of their first recreation on the MCG since shedding final yr’s grand last to Collingwood, the Lions snapped their notorious shedding run on the venue.
Though Brisbane memorably defeated the Demons within the 2022 semi-final, the Lions had not received on the MCG in a home-and-away recreation since spherical 21, 2014.
The tone was set early, with the Lions main by 14 factors at quarter-time after successful the clearances for the time period 20-8.
Coming off four-straight wins, Melbourne have been unable to deal with the Lions’ depth because the guests laid 83 tackles to 51.
Former primary draft choose Cam Rayner had top-of-the-line outings of his 118-game profession, exploding out of the blocks with 12 possessions and 6 clearances within the first quarter and completed with 25 touches.
Brisbane’s ahead line is again in sync, with Charlie Cameron returning to type with three objectives, whereas spearheads Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood slotted two every.
Capping off a unclean evening for the Demons, they misplaced versatile defender Christian Salem to a doubtlessly severe hamstring damage.
Salem was helped from the sphere within the first quarter and changed by teenager Taj Woewodin.
Melbourne’s three-quarter-time rating of three.7 (25) was their worst at a last break since spherical 16, 2020 — the COVID-19 affected season when video games have been shortened.
In desperation with the sport already misplaced, celebrity Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver was shifted into defence within the final quarter.
Brisbane had the top-four possession winners on the bottom, with Jack Viney main the best way for Melbourne with 23.
The Lions will return to the Gabba subsequent Saturday evening for a monster conflict with Geelong, whereas Melbourne have the bye subsequent week earlier than dealing with Richmond in spherical seven.
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An awesome evening for Brisbane, and in all honesty, the 22-point margin flattered the Demons.
Cam Rayner was sensible for the Lions, whereas Charlie Cameron kicked three huge objectives.
fittingly, our last picture tonight is Lachie Neale being carried off victorious in his 250th recreation.
We will probably be again tomorrow to proceed spherical 5.
Goodnight.
Melbourne will probably be upset however have a bye to regroup
This was not the Demons we noticed go to Adelaide and obtain back-to-back wins.
They have been crushed to the punch usually tonight, and by no means held onto momentum for lengthy sufficient.
The Demons have every week off, after an enormous begin to the season.
Melbourne will wish to chalk tonight up as a nasty day, and transfer on to what seems to be a promising season.
Brisbane have been nice tonight, and can must be going ahead
Excellent from Brisbane tonight.
They dominated Melbourne from begin to end.
Nevertheless, Brisbane is not going to be afforded the posh of pondering their season is again on monitor but.
They’ve two huge video games developing, beginning with Geelong at house subsequent Saturday.
Then they face the GWS Giants away.
Each groups are the early benchmark in 2024. If the Lions produce an analogous efficiency like tonight, they are going to be two sensible video games.
Lachie Neale is rightly carried off the sphere
The twin Brownlow medalist is carried off the sphere, with a guard of honour shaped by each Melbourne and Brisbane gamers.
“So happy with our effort tonight. I believed our stress was unbelievable,” he mentioned post-match.
“We performed a really comparable model to final week and it stood up in opposition to most likely the most effective crew within the comp in the mean time.”
Rayner says Brisbane will take confidence out of getting an MCG win
Brisbane’s struggles on the MCG are nicely documented.
The Hoodoo of types has been damaged a number of instances, together with in opposition to Melbourne within the 2022 semifinal.
However tonight’s win will give Brisbane loads of coronary heart.
“Final yr we performed loads of good footy right here. We simply did not end off — a kind of video games was in opposition to Melbourne,” Rayner mentioned.
“To have the ability to flip that round this yr, and possibly actually get our season kick-started now, is absolutely thrilling for the group.”
Cam Rayner talking after the match
Cam Rayner was a star tonight.
He had six clearances within the first quarter alone, setting the tone for the evening.
“It is superior,” he advised the Seven Community broadcast.
“This squad [has] been questioned this yr.
“To return out and provides this effort and this efficiency it is unbelievable — speaks volumes to our crew.”
FT: Brisbane Lions defeat Melbourne Demons 12.10 (82) to eight.12 (60)
Effectively accomplished Brisbane.
They wanted an enormous efficiency tonight and so they delivered.
The margin may have been higher, however Melbourne lessened the deficit with 5 last quarter objectives.
Melbourne scale back margin to 4 objectives
It is too little, too late for Melbourne, however they’ve completed nicely.
Jake Lever will get the Demons fifth objective of the ultimate time period.
Lever was helped with a 50-metre piggyback which obtained him in simple vary.
Bayley Fritsch will get his second objective for Melbourne
A pleasant piece of play for Melbourne — their better of the evening.
The chain of play began within the defensive 50.
Petracca wins a contest in the midst of the bottom which ends up in Bayley Fritsch taking a mark inside ahead 50 and changing the set shot.
Brisbane a placing collectively 4 good quarters
The Lions’ angle has been the star this night.
This recreation is finished, however the Brisbane gamers are nonetheless competing for every part.
The defensive work has been relentless, and it has not slowed down.
Melbourne kick two fast objectives
Melbourne have back-to-back objectives for the firs time tonight.
Max Gawn slotted a set shot between the posts, shortly adopted by Jacob van Rooyen from the centre clearance.
The margin is 36 factors.
A fast word, that’s Gawn’s one hundredth AFL objective.
Charlie sprints down that Nation Highway to finish all hope for Melbourne
 Oh Charlie that is sensible.
Cameron takes a mark close to the boundary on the 50.
He sees Jake Lever is the person on the mark.
Cameron determined he fancies that footrace, and he sprints previous his former Adelaide teammate into the open objective sq..
Brisbane once more reply right away
The Lions get an instantaneous reply.
All 4 Melbourne objective tonight have been answered instantly by the Lions.
This time it’s from the centre clearance.
The Lions get it contained in the ahead 50 and Zac Bailey kicks a easy objective by his requirements.
Excellent Brisbane.
Ben Brown will get the primary objective of the ultimate quarter
Melbourne get the opening objective of the ultimate time period.
They kicked the opening objectives of the primary and third phrases, and it has not panned out for them.
However for the second, good play.
Ball goes into an attacking space and Ben Brown takes a powerful mark in entrance of the pack.
Ryan Lester shining for the Lions
 Whereas loads of tonight’s focus has been — rightfully — on these up ahead, Brisbane’s backline has been nice.
Ryan Lester has had a blinder via three quarters.
He has 14 disposals, seven marks and three tackles.
What is not going to come up on a stat sheet is the variety of instances he has disrupted a Demon from having a optimistic impression on the play.
Lions followers will probably be hoping it is a signal of issues to return
The place has this been all season? Traditional Charlie objective there…
– Alan
This has seemed just like the Lions of final yr.
The aspect that got here so near lifting the premiership cup.
Yet one more quarter to shut this out, and the struggles of the primary three matches will really feel like a distant reminiscence — for one weekend at the least.
3QT: Lions lead by 43 on the last change
Excellent from the Lions.
They conceded the primary objective of the quarter, however they by no means misplaced their approach.
Anytime the Dees have seemed like gaining some ascendency, the Lions have quashed it.
They’ve trapped the ball inside their ahead 50 and transformed in entrance of objective.
When Melbourne look to assault, Brisbane’s depth in defence has stood as much as all duties.
Cameron intercepts within the ahead 50 and converts — is Brisbane house?
Melbourne has flirted with the objective, however was unable to place it between the massive sticks.
The Lions defence has been sensible.
Brisbane once more peppers Melbourne’s backline.
Charlie Cameron, like a thief within the evening, snatches a Melbourne handpass out of the air and snaps in direction of the objective.
The lead is 44 factors. Brisbane are all around the Demons.
The sport is there for Brisbane’s taking
The lead is nearly 40.
Melbourne are trapped of their defensive 50.
Yet one more objective could possibly be sufficient with a quarter-and-a-half to play.
What the Lions do not want are a few fast Melbourne objectives — simply to sow a seed of doubt right into a aspect that has blown leads already this season.
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