Brown and Bradshaw ensure a Lion feast

Brisbane Lions 22.15 (147) def. Port Adelaide 10.18 (78)

Brisbane has condemned Port Adelaide to the doldrums with an impressive 69-point thrashing at AAMI Stadium this afternoon.

Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw were scintillating and combining with 13 goals as the Lions extended their lead at every change.

Jason Akermanis made his highly anticipated return from a short stint in the reserves and played the majority of the match in the back half. Joel Patfull, a former Power rookie, made his debut for the visitors and James Ezard donned a Port Adelaide jumper for the first time.

Luke Power was instrumental for the Lions’ notching up 33 possessions and he was well supported by youngster Matthew Moody (20) and Jared Brennan (20). Brown (seven goals) and Bradshaw (6) exerted their presence and showcased their brilliance and Michael Rischitelli continues to improve.

The Power found it difficult to find winners in yet another dark day but a handful of youngsters showed promise. Brad Symes, in game number three, amassed 20 disposals and demonstrated his nimble movement, whilst Brett Ebert was sublime with two goals and a screamer in the third term.

Port Adelaide excited the meagre, yet boisterous, crowd with Josh Mahoney drilling home the first major within the opening minute, which was quickly followed by Jason Roe slipping and Ebert capitalising with a superb dodge and goal.

It didn’t take long before the Lions cut back the deficit through Power and Brown roving at the back of the pack to slot home a goal from point blank range.

In a zippy, free-flowing contest the ball ricocheted between both teams forward fifties, eventually both sides added two more majors to their totals, including Patfull finishing off a brilliant passage of play from Brown to kick a goal with his first kick in league football.

The visitors entered the first change with a slender three-point advantage in tow.

Brisbane was looking ominous and came out to kick the first three majors of the term. Peter Walsh conceded the first when he sheparded the ball allowing Ash McGrath to hit Brown lace-out in the square. Brown converted kick starting the Lions’ dominance.

McGrath popped up again, this time holding the ball in over the goal line with one hand and jumping back into the field of play to curb through a sublime snap.

It took the Power until midway through the quarter to add to their goal tally, but Nathan Lonie did it in fine style, tearing away from a pack and taking two bounces before he curtailed the Lions ascendancy from 60 metres out.

Ebert then showcased his abundance of skill, reeling in a clever one-handed mark before threading through his second. He, along with Lonie and Peter Burgoyne, helped lift the Power and curb the Lions’ surge.

Power accumulated 21 touches to half time and Moody 11 as they helped Brisbane take a healthy 17-point buffer into the premiership quarter.

The Lions’ annihilated the home side in the third stanza slamming on nine goals to one as they created more anguish for the languishing club. Brown booted the first two majors of the term, which were then followed by his partner in crime, Bradshaw, ramming home another.

An unfit looking Warren Tredrea utilised a quick burst of pace to hand his troops their only goal of the term before a laconic Bradshaw tap on the goal line resulted in another Brown goal. Less than a minute later Bradshaw pegged himself another to join Brown on four majors.

Nearing the break Justin Sherman highlighted his brilliance intercepting a Matthew Bishop handpass and dribbled through a spectacular goal, before Anthony Corrie added salt to the wound on the siren.

The Power trudged off the ground down by a whopping 64 points.

The Alberton boys managed to steer through three goals in the final term, but were again outclassed as Brisbane treated themselves to a clinic steering home four more majors, including two to Brown.

Port walked off dejected as they failed to combat their recent bout a poor form, but Brisbane are on cloud nine after two comprehensive victories.

Brisbane confronts Fremantle at the GABBA next Sunday afternoon, whilst Port Adelaide will travel to Telstra Dome to meet lowly Essendon on Saturday night.

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