Brisbane are on the board with their first win of 2024, after defeating an “embarrassed” North Melbourne by 70 points at Norwood Oval.
Joe Daniher was the star, kicking five goals from his 20 disposals, to help his side crack triple figures for the first time this season in the 16.16 (112) to 6.6 (42) victory on Friday.
Last year’s grand finalists Brisbane were able to shrug off their off-field Vegas trip controversy that plagued the Gather Round lead up to pile on seven goals in an opening quarter blitz.
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And it only got uglier from there for the Roos, who Fox Footy’s Alastair Lynch said were “embarrassed” in the opening half.
While the Roos managed to show some fight early in the third, the match was all but over by that point.
Brisbane opted to rest star Lachie Neale in the final term, before an injury concern to Zac Bailey who limped from the contest late.
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QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT
Charlie Cameron got Brisbane off to the perfect start with a ripping snap from the boundary.
And North’s glaring defensive weakness was exposed moments later when Joe Daniher was able to take a contested grab just 15m out directly in front.
Just one week after getting carved up by Carlton’s big forwards, Daniher’s hot start was just more alarm bells for Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson.
Nick Larkey was able to get his side on the board, but again it was the Lions’ talls proving a headache for the Roos.
And when Eric Hipwood (three goals, 14 disposals) won himself a free kick, he managed to extend Brisbane’s lead – despite almost playing on.
“This is huge … he’s going to play on! Don’t play on Eric!” Alastair Lynch said in commentary.
“That’s a young man that’s not confident at the moment.
“He should have his teammates around him saying … ‘you have the shot’
“There’s been a lot of scrutiny on Eric Hipwood … pressure has been on.
“He’s worked hard … that’s all you ask.”
Brisbane saw out the quarter with four straight goals to open up a 33-point buffer.
The contest only got uglier in the second term for North as the Lions controlled the match from their front half.
The Roos just couldn’t find a defensive exit in “alarming” signs.
“It’s the same every time off halfback,” Lynch lamented.
“Just no composure to hit the targets.”
Hawks great Dermott Brereton questioned some of the decision-making, given Larkey was ignored as an exit option further downfield.
“If you’re going to risk turning it over, risk it a lot further!” Lynch added.
“And to someone whose job it is to contest in the air as well!
“There’s just danger signs.”
Dwayne Russell warned the result was “getting nasty” as the margin to grew to 50 points midway through the second term.
By the main break, Brisbane enjoyed a 75-19 lead.
But it was a “switched off” Lions outfit who returned for the third term as the Roos pounced.
North had two quick goals, including a brilliant snap from Paul Curtis, to give their fans something to cheer about.
But just as the Lions looked vulnerable, it was Daniher again who stood tall against an inexperienced and undersized Roos backline.
Even a bizarre time delay free kick went against North Melbourne to sum up their dirty afternoon.
“You don’t normally get those!” Russell said in commentary.
By the final change, Brisbane held a 54-point buffer.
The final term was simply a formality as the Lions turned for home for their first win of the year.
And the Lions took no chances by subbing off star Lachie Neale, following his ankle issue last week.
The only concern in the 70-point win came late in the contest with Zac Bailey appearing to turn his ankle.
THE 3-2-1 …
3. Brisbane FINALLY register first win of 2024 as Neale put in cotton wool
It was much later than we all expected, but the Lions eventually got themselves on the board.
On a narrow Norwood Oval, the Lions – who have previously been criticised for using the boundary line too much – managed to adapt in unique conditions to show longer glimpses of the form that saw them reach last year’s Grand Final.
Dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale led the Lions’ charge in the first half, accumulating 14 disposals in the first quarter and 23 before the main break.
Neale, who was subbed out of the match with ‘ankle awareness’ in the last quarter was well supported by Hugh McCluggage with his 35 disposals and 10 inside 50s.
While his resting in the last quarter is only being seen as precautionary, Brisbane Lions champion Alastair Lynch noted that it was an ongoing niggle for Neale.
“That would be from the ankle he rolled halfway through the game last week. He stayed out there and hobbled off the ground a bit,” Lynch said.
“Has he got the 3 votes Lynchy?” asked three-time premiership player Cameron Mooney.
“No he hasn’t – I don’t think he’s got the 3,” Lynch replied.
“So he should stay on! … Three Brownlow votes is better than two mate,” Mooney jokingly said during the coverage.
Speaking to Lynch after the game, Neale put to bed any rumours his ankle had flared up beyond control.
“A bit of a nasty sprain last week, and it was a slow week for me to get to the line today,” Neale explained.
The delivery for Brisbane’s forwards was as good as ever, with the midfielders navigating the narrower structure of the oval to give more direct entries.
A whopping 71 inside 50s for the Lions shadowed over North Melbourne, who could only muster together 31 themselves.
22 marks inside 50 for the victors also kept the Kangaroos at bay all day, and was incomparable to North’s four.
The 70-point win will set the Lions up well enough for their Thursday night clash against current ladder leaders Melbourne at the MCG – a venue they have struggled to win on in recent times.
2. Screws to tighten despite large win
Despite a win that could well spin Brisbane back into form, Chris Fagan’s men still dropped off for a 12-minute patch in the third term that allowed the Kangaroos to claim the quarter by a solitary point.
There has been a noticeable trend from the Lions so far this season, with patches of brilliance generally not being replicated for more than a quarter before today’s match.
“This has been an issue all season so far… they are certainly getting challenged,” Alastair Lynch said in commentary.
“We know in the first game they were brilliant against Carlton, 47 points up and got rolled. They were up against Fremantle, up against Collingwood (before losses).”
“You look at Brisbane this year – you don’t lose your ability overnight,” Cam Mooney added.
“They have completely switched off.”
Brisbane’s three best quarters for the season heading into Round 4 equated to a net positive of +74 points – however, the remaining nine quarters added up to a total deficit of -118 points; a stark difference in output.
“They’ve played some scintillating footy, they really have in three quarters of footy – the two opening quarters of the first two rounds, and then the second quarter (against Collingwood in Round 3),” King explained.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s First Crack last week, dual North Melbourne premiership player David King elaborated on the underlying inconsistency.
During the play-by-play commentary, Lynch, Mooney and Brereton were critical of the Lions’ seemingly random drop off after the halftime break, while also giving credit to the Kangaroos.
“To the credit of the Kangaroos players, they’re ready to go… the Lions have dropped off,” Lynch said.
“It’s the mental side of the game, and this is where they’ve completely switched off… the start of this quarter, North Melbourne have dominated them,” Mooney added.
Brereton gave analytical insight as to what North Melbourne lifted to start the second half and catch Brisbane off guard.
“(They) stuck to the task; simplified it a bit, didn’t turn it over by hand as much, weren’t overcomplicated in their game style – pretty played out that quarter evenly,” Brereton explained.
“They’ve had a little in there in a strategic tinker.”
1. Daniher, Hipwood run riot on submissive Kangaroos defence
While not a surprise to most, the tall cavalry from Arden St were unable to tame Brisbane twin towers Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood in a dominant display by the two forwards.
Daniher, who finished with a whopping 5.4 in front of goal, 20 disposals and 12 marks, ran riot in the attacking half despite the smaller dimensions of Norwood Oval.
Speaking on the superstar post-game, teammate Lachie Neale gave credit to Daniher and his partner in crime Hipwood.
“I thought our big boys were great up there, bringing it to ground or marking it – I don’t know what Joey (Daniher) ended up with, but it felt like he had a lot of shots,” Neale said to Cameron Mooney.
Hipwood kicked three goals of his own to go with his 14 disposals and seven score involvements, in a match that could swing the key tall back into form after a quiet start to 2024.
“He’s working hard, and trying to get his hands on the ball a little bit more,” Alastair Lynch said on Hipwood at three-quarter time.
North’s biggest flaw on paper is easily their tall defenders, and it again showed today.
The task for Aidan Corr and the inexperienced Kallan Dawson was tough, but there were still moments during the game that their defence would have liked over.
An eye-opening moment came about in the third quarter when Daniher gained a free goal out the back from some clumsy defending.
“Your defensive coach will be talking to the defenders – you’ve got to spoil the ball forward and kill the contest,” Lynch noted on the play-by-play commentary.
North this season have trialled new clubman Toby Pink in defence, before omitting him in favour of promising ruckman-turned-defender Charlie Comben.
Comben was extremely busy in defence, as well as impressive in a hard day for his side’s back half.
His 25 disposals, 13 intercept possessions and eight marks were a shining light for the Kangaroos in an otherwise tough outing – despite the impact of his opposition’s forwards
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