The Brisbane Lions have recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season, thumping North Melbourne in the Adelaide Hills by 75 points on Saturday afternoon, 22.20 (152) to 12.5 (77).
Like their loss to Carlton in Round 4, the Kangaroos were competitive in the opening half before a third-quarter blitz from their opponents broke the game open, with Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood starring in the forward 50, combining for nine goals.
The Lions - who have a winning record for the first time in 2023 - take on Greater Western Sydney in Round 6, while North Melbourne faces Gold Coast.
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER RECAP
There were no late changes for either side. Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane) and Hugh Greenwood (North Melbourne) were the substitutes.
North Melbourne struck first in the Adelaide Hills via Jaidyn Stephenson.
A handball from Ben Cunnington in the Kangaroos’ defensive half was intercepted and resulted in a set shot goal to Joe Daniher.
“He’s going through a horror patch at the moment, Ben Cunnington,” David King said.
“He’s a guy that has made minimal errors for a decade and just out of sorts over the last fortnight.
“That handball there intercepted in a really dangerous zone and the Lions are off and gone.”
Harry Sheezel capitalised on a 50-metre penalty against Dayne Zorko and kicked truly from the 50-metre arc, resulting in his first AFL goal following an already-blistering start to the season for the teenager.
Tom Powell kicked North Melbourne’s third goal of the opening quarter to open up a two-goal lead.
“That’s the challenge for the Brisbane Lions at the moment; Ball on the deck, they are the competition’s poorest team,” King said.
“They’ve been beaten at ground level week on week, whether they’ve been winning or losing over the past month of football.”
Nick Larkey added another goal to the Roos’ tally, while Eric Hipwood hooked a set shot out on the full shortly after.
He kicked truly on his next opportunity, however, as the Lions recorded their second goal.
Some brilliant transition attack from the Lions put the ball in Hipwood’s hands with an open goalsquare as he kicked his second goal in a minute.
A moment of brilliance from Darcy Wilmot levelled the scores, with the 19-year-old snapping truly from a tight angle.
Stephenson made the most of a free kick for high contact against Harris Andrews for North Melbourne’s fifth goal of the term, but he was matched by some classy work in traffic from Hugh McCluggage.
Behinds to Darcy Fort and Charlie Comben had the match tied after one quarter.
Both sides went goal for goal to open the second quarter, with Will Phillips matched by a long bomb from Joe Daniher, which amazingly missed all hands and bounced through after landing near the goalsquare, with Dwayne Russell labelling it “bizarre”.
A brilliant finish from Daniher a few minutes later made it three for the afternoon.
Brisbane added another two behinds to its tally before a sharp set shot from Hipwood put the Lions ahead by 15 points.
Jarrod Berry capitalised on a turnover in the Kangaroos’ forward half, as the Lions made it four unanswered goals.
Daniher missed a gettable set shot but converted with his next to kick his fourth goal of the opening half.
The Kangaroos finally broke the drought with a goal to Curtis Taylor with seconds remaining in the first half.
Brisbane led North Melbourne by 23 points at the main break.
North Melbourne suffered a blow ahead of the second half, with Jy Simpkin subbed out with a potential broken hand.
A string of behinds was broken in the third quarter as a North Melbourne turnover in the middle saw Daniher stroll into an open goalsquare and kick his fifth goal - the most in his time at the Lions.
Liam Shiels tried to stem the bleeding for the Roos after a clean passage of play, but a clean snap from Hipwood was followed by back-to-back goals for Charlie Cameron, putting the margin out to 45 points.
With the Lions well and truly surging, Cam Rayner kicked his first and Cameron his third one minute after.
Jarrod Berry put through his second major of the afternoon amid what Kelli Underwood said was an “avalanche” of goals from the Lions.
That run was broken by Stephenson, who booted his second goal of the match from his fourth disposal.
Hipwood helped set up a shot for Dayne Zorko in the final moments of the third term, which resulted in a behind.
“It’s actually comical Hipwood has been by himself so often in the forward 50,” Alastair Lynch said as three-quarter time arrived, with the Lions holding a 59-point lead.
Like Round 4 against Carlton, North Melbourne fought hard to avoid an already-large margin from growing further.
A goal to Comben was followed by a fourth to Stephenson as the Roos began to cut into the margin.
Comben added another goal to his tally, but the Lions continued to tally uncontested marks inside their forward 50, with Lynch labelling it “farcical”.
Cameron took a mark and snapped through his fourth goal to make it 30 marks inside 50 for the Lions - a club record - as the Lions delivered a final surge to finish the match.
THE 3-2-1 (by Jono Baruch)
3) “GOOD JOE” TEARS THE GAME APART WITH CAREER LIONS BEST
“The predictable thing about Joe Daniher is that he’s unpredictable,” Fox Footy commentator Keli Underwood said as Joe Daniher missed an easy set shot from point-blank range.
It was the slightest blemish on what was a career-best day in front of goals in a Lions jumper for Daniher who broke the game open with four second-quarter goals.
The highlight of the bunch was his effort from long range, set sailing from inside the centre square which bounced clear in the goalsquare to trickle through the back.
https://twitter.com/FOXFOOTY/status/1647087081028734977
It was followed by a similarly impressive effort from the boundary line to put some further distance between the Lions and the Kangaroos after the Lions trailed early in proceedings.
“I love watching him play.” Dual All-Australian David King said on Fox Footy. “I know he gives you the full rollercoaster ride, but when he’s on, he’s great to watch.
“4.2 against Melbourne, 0.4 against the Western Bulldogs, a couple of really important goals against the Pies, and it looks like he’s on today.
“ If you give him space like that, and he’ll make you pay, there’s no doubt.
“We’ve got Good Joe today.
“ His kicking has been really good today, he’s found teammates, he’s hit the scoreboard with four goals in a half... There’s a big bag here for Joe Daniher”
Western Bulldogs games record holder Brad Johnson highlighted that while the way the Lions midfield was moving and delivering the ball to their star forward was first class, they were aided by the North Melbourne defence pushing too far up the ground. Allowing Daniher to find ample space out the back to take uncontested marks.
“Their movement towards Joe Daniher whose had plenty of time and space with the way North Melbourne has been pushing up and their transition of ball has allowed Joe Daniher to have a huge impact in this game”
Daniher finished the day with 5.3 as he and fellow twin tower Eric Hipwood combined for nine goals.
2) ROOS MIDS STRETCHED AND EXPOSED AS VETERAN STRUGGLES AGAIN
North Melbourne’s midfield was put to the test against one of the best-contested midfields in the competition and despite the even start in the first quarter, was put to the sword as the Lions‘ midfield, led by Brownlow Medalist Lachie Neale, took full control at Mount Barker.
The Roos midfield was dealt a blow shortly before Half time when captain Jy Simpkin was subbed out of the game with a suspected broken hand, which is when the Lions took full ascendency.
The discrepancy grew as the Lions led the Contested possessions 41-29 at three-quarter time. Moreover, the Lions were potent out of the middle, scoring 19 points to 0 from stoppages, 12 to 0 from centre bounces and punishing the Kangaroos‘ mistakes scoring 30 points to six off turnover.
After being subbed out in the third quarter last week for minimal impact in midfield, Ben Cunnington was again in the spotlight for his minimal impact in midfield.
The 31 - year - old finished with 22 disposals on the day, but former North Melbourne champion David King raised concerns about the veteran, noting that Cunnington is going through “a horror patch”
“I’m just watching Ben Cunnington at the moment, and this is a ‘Hall of Fame player for the Kangaroos, there’s no doubt about that…. He’s not really having an influence around the heavy traffic at the minute” King said on Fox Footy.
“He’s a guy that has made minimal errors for a decade and just out of sorts over the last fortnight”
Luke Davies - Uniacke was again busy with 23 disposals but was well held by the Lions midfield group. Harry Sheezel gathered the ball at will again (31 disposals) off half-back but was hampered by a corked thigh late.
Jack Ziebell (24) and Daniel Howe (23) were the next-best ball winners for the Kangaroos, leaving Alistair Clarkson with some thinking to do to inject some more power into the Roos engine room.
“There are going to be days like this for the Kangaroos” King said
“We know that in the build… they are going to try some things that are not going to work, whether it be talent or system, we saw that today”
1) CLASH OF THE RISING STAR FAVOURITES IN THE HILLS
Harry Sheezel and Will Ashcroft are two of the 18 - year olds who have set the competition alight this year. After the first month of the season, the former picks two and three from last year‘s draft are the runaway favorites for this year’s Rising Star award.
Sheezel has re-written the record books in his first month as an AFL player, recording the most disposals (127) after four career games courtesy of his 37 disposal game against Carlton on Good Friday.
Ashcroft was just as impressive in the Lions‘ win against Collingwood, recording 26 disposals and already stamping himself as a vital cog in Brisbane’s engine room.
“It’s been amazing the impact the young guys are having from minute one when they walk into the AFL competition,” Dual North Melbourne Premiership player David King said on Fox Footy.
“He’s (Sheezel) playing like a guy that’s played 100 games already.
“... He’s a ground ball player, he’s as sharp. He saved the day against Fremantle a couple of weeks ago. This kid understands the game like no other”
“The ball has been following him all season,” Dwayne Russell said on Fox Footy.
Tripe Premiership Lion Alistair Lynch added “What you said about Sheezel is very similar to Ashcroft and what he’s done”
“His composure was amazing last week as well and they’ve just stepped in as 100-game players. This was the game last week.
“....Ashcroft was the class and he was the composed player that was able to distribute the ball outside and got through congestion. He is an absolute class act. He’s getting half-a-dozen clearances as well and averaging 25 touches. An outstanding player”
The pair of teenagers were among two of the leading ball winners on the ground, finishing with 31 and 23 disposals respectively.
“The two 18 - year olds, it’s a pleasure to watch them in action,” Fox Footy commentator Kelli Underwood said.
