The Brisbane Lions inflicted St Kilda’s fourth defeat in six games on Friday night at Marvel Stadium to leave the slumping Saints clinging to their top-eight spot.
Making matters worse was Max King (striking) and Liam Stocker (rough conduct) were both reported in the second quarter, the former not long after St Kilda’s frustrated spearhead shoved Charlie Cameron to the ground to concede a 50-metre penalty.
Eric Hipwood watches as his kick goes through for a goal against St Kilda.Credit: AFL Photos
King’s glancing blow to Lions defender Ryan Lester’s neck seems unlikely to cost him a stint on the sidelines, but the AFL’s crackdown on dangerous tackles means Stocker’s on Eric Hipwood will be scrutinised closely.
Brisbane’s unconvincing 28-point victory – in coach Chris Fagan’s 150th game, and on his 62nd birthday – sees them leapfrog Melbourne into third place. They have won seven of their past eight, and eight of 10, at Marvel Stadium, in contrast to their infamous MCG record.
The Saints’ collapse last season from an 8-3 record to missing the finals at 11-11 cost Brett Ratten his job, and they surged to 6-2 this year under new coach Ross Lyon – but are wobbling again at 8-6.
They were fortunate to beat an inaccurate Swans line-up during this down patch, and next travel west to face the lowly Eagles on Sunday week.
Dual All-Australian defender Harris Andrews dominated the air and had good support from Ryan Lester and Jack Payne, while Hipwood (four goals) was comfortably the best forward on the ground and Lachie Neale was prominent in the middle.
Andrews snaffled seven of his nine intercept marks in the first half, and dulled first-year Saint Anthony Caminiti’s influence.
Hipwood’s partner-in-crime Joe Daniher kicked a critical goal as the three-quarter-time siren sounded, after Brad Hill slashed the Lions’ lead to 15 points only 40 seconds earlier following an improved quarter from St Kilda.
The Saints tried to launch another assault in the opening minutes of the final term, kick-started by a clever Jade Gresham goal, but Brisbane grabbed back the ascendancy, with Hipwood’s fourth goal sealing the deal.
The Lions played without star veterans Jack Gunston and Daniel Rich for the second week in a row, but regained Hugh McCluggage, after he sat out a game with concussion following the tackle that cost Hawks captain James Sicily a three-match ban.
Lachie Neale is tackled by St Kilda’s Ben Paton.Credit: AFL Photos
Jack Sinclair did the heavy lifting again for the Saints, but Josh Battle was an intercepting force down back, and Mason Wood and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera worked hard, while Jimmy Webster kept Cameron to one goal.
Timely touch
With the Saints surging at Brisbane early in the final term, King appeared to have cut the deficit to 10 points after snatching the Sherrin out of a forward-50 throw-in.
However, Lions ruckman Oscar McInerney protested vigorously that he had touched the ball off King’s boot. There was no score review at the time, but every goal is assessed in the AFL’s review centre – and it showed McInerney did indeed get a finger to it.
There was still plenty of time at that stage, but it was a momentum-killer, with Brisbane soon steadying and blowing the margin out.
Form woes continue
Gresham will spend much of this season in the headlines as a restricted free agent with legitimate rival interest, but he is doing little for his value.
The 25-year-old is performing far below the standard he set last year in a career-best campaign, where he averaged 23-plus disposals and almost a goal per game in a midfield-forward role.
Gresham has reached that average just once in a match this season and his kicking efficiency is south of 50. He had only five disposals to half-time on Friday night before a more productive second half, but no one – him, St Kilda or his suitors – would be thrilled with his output in 2023.
BRISBANE LIONS 3.4 5.8 9.8 12.12 (84)
ST KILDA 1.0 2.3 6.5 8.8 (56)
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Hipwood 4, Daniher 2, Rayner, Bailey, Cameron, Berry, Coleman, Dunkley
St Kilda: Wanganeen-Milera, Hill, Higgins, Caminiti, Butler, Sinclair, Gresham, Byrnes
BEST
Brisbane: Andrews, Hipwood, Neale, Dunkley, Lester, McKenna
St Kilda: Sinclair, Battle, Wood, Wanganeen-Milera, Webster, Crouch
REPORTS
Brisbane: None
St Kilda: King (striking Lester in the second quarter), Stocker (engaging in rough conduct on Hipwood in the second quarter)
UMPIRES
Power, Nicholls, Broadbent, Gianfagna
CROWD
28,985 at Marvel Stadium
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