Star recruit sets up AFL bloodbath

Joe Daniher delved into his occasionally amazing technicolour dreamcoat to help Brisbane claim a thumping 85-point thrashing of Collingwood at the Gabba on Saturday night.

The Lions were too big, too strong, too classy, too often after quarter-time, kicking 14 goals across the second and third terms to punish the young Pies at every opportunity to stay in the hunt for a top four berth.

Collingwood’s frustrations were on show in a robust exchange between Jordan De Goey and Brayden Maynard at three-quarter-time but they were emphatically out-muscled, out-hustled and out-classed by a flag contender.

Brisbane’s magnificent midfield led by Hugh McCluggage, Jarryd Lyons, Dayne Zorko, Lachie Neale and Zac Bailey destroyed the Magpies all night long while livewire Charlie Cameron bobbed up with six goals.

But when the game was briefly in the balance, Daniher was at his fabulously fluctuating best to play his considerable part in setting up the win.

In the first term, he had six touches, three marks, one clearance, three inside 50 entries, one goal, two behinds, two scoring assists along with one failed bounce, a dropped speccie and gave away a free kick with a push in the back.

He was everywhere, doing everything, finishing with three goals, 15 disposals, eight marks, six inside 50s and three scoring assists. He even gave away a certain close-range goal in the fourth term when he passed 30 metres backwards to Lachie Neale.

Brisbane put themselves on the path to victory with a blistering second quarter with 26 inside 50 entries to Collingwood’s five helping the Lions roar to a 37-point buffer at the main break.

The teams were locked together at 33-all early in the term after a De Goey goal but Brisbane then peeled off six unanswered goals with Dan McStay, Cal Ah Chee, Bailey, Linc McCarthy, Neale and Daniher all hitting the scoreboard in the rampage built on centre clearance dominance.

The Lions kicked the first three goals of the third term to end the match as a contest as the match turned very ugly for Collingwood with Brisbane taking a 71-point advantage into the last change.

Brisbane led by the solitary goal at quarter-time after a rapid-fire start with the sides combining for three goals in the first two minutes and five majors across the first seven minutes.

Josh Thomas kicked a goal inside the first 20 seconds but Brisbane responded quickly through Daniher and Cameron.

Brisbane kicked their first three goals from just 12 possessions and looked well on top but Collingwood worked their way back into the match and could have almost been in front at the first break if they made more of some late half-chances.

Goals to young guns Ginnivan and Oliver Henry kept the Pies in the hunt with De Goey, Steele Sidebottom and Taylor Adams accumulating 28 disposals between them in the Collingwood midfield for the first quarter.

The 14th win of their season keeps Brisbane’s hopes of a top four finish very much alive. The Lions need to get a percentage boosting win over West Coast next weekend and hope that the Bulldogs fall to Port Adelaide in Round 23.

Dayne Zorko (R) was one of five Lions to finish the game with more than 25 touches to his name. (Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Hit for six

Former Lions defender and current Brisbane staffer Daniel Merrett had the pre-game tip that Charlie Cameron was up for a big game given he was debuting new fluoro orange boots. “Roger” was on the money early with Cameron booting two goals in the first seven minutes of the match and some eye-catching bursts through the midfield. Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard got the better of the match-up for a while but Cameron bobbed up with another four majors as he joined fellow Lions forward Joe Daniher and Daniel McStay in the carve-up of Collingwood.

Bright future

The match provided a very brief glimpse of evidence that some of the Collingwood kids are alright. Jack Ginnivan booted two nice goals with his goal sense and diverse kicking skills standing out. Oliver Henry also did some nice things with his long-range drop punt in the first quarter the highlight. With De Goey spending more time in the midfield, the Magpies need to get their goals from somewhere in the long term. Ginnivan and Henry appear to be natural forwards.

Cameron booted six goals on Saturday night — the most he’s kicked in a single game since August 2019. (Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Harris out of sorts

Two-time All-Australian fullback Harris Andrews normally produces two turnovers a season such is his discipline and general doggedness in defence. But two very uncharacteristic errors handed goals to the Pies on a silver platter in the first half. Andrews looked ginger after an early marking contest. He then had a kick smothered in the first term that led to a Jack Ginnivan goal and his second turnover came from another poor kick under pressure with Ginnivan profiting again.

Brody’s bump

Collingwood forward Brody Mihocek could have played his last match for 2021 with his bump on Lions back-up ruckman Tom Fullarton sure to attract the interest of the MRO. Mihocek appeared to make heavy and high contact when he chose to turn his shoulder into Fullarton in the second term when the Lions were running rampant. The ball had gone past the players as well which will not help his cause.

Score:

LIONS: 4.2/11.4/18.6/22.10 (142)

MAGPIES: 3.2/5.3/6.7/8.9 (57)

Goals:

LIONS: Cameron 6, Daniher 3, McStay 3, McCarthy 2, Cockatoo 2, Birchall, Ah Chee, Bailey, Neale, McCluggage, Lyons

MAGPIES: Ginnivan 2, Thomas 2, Henry, DeGoey, Mihocek, Cameron

Greg Davis’ best:

LIONS: Lyons, McCluggage, Zorko, Bailey, Daniher, Cameron, McCarthy, Ah Chee

MAGPIES: De Goey, Adams, Crisp, Sidebottom, Ginnivan, Grundy

Injuries:

LIONS:

MAGPIES: Ruscoe (ankle)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Greg Davis’ votes:

3: Jarryd Lyons

2: Hugh McCluggage

1: Dayne Zorko

Crowd: 15, 146

Source: Read Full Article