GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 3.3 9.8 18.11 22.14 (146)
BRISBANE LIONS 2.4 4.5 7.10 12.14 (86)
Goals: Greater Western Sydney: Greene 4, Patton 4, Cameron 4, Reid 2, Johnson 2, Shiel, Himmelberg, Taranto, Ward, Williams, Lloyd. Brisbane Lions: Lester 2, Smith 2, Bastinac 2, Hipwood, Taylor, Martin, Cutler, McStay, Berry.Â
Best: Greater Western Sydney: Shiel, Patton ,Greene, Cameron, Reid, Ward. Brisbane Lions: Rockliff, Mathieson, Berry Witherden Martin McLuggageÂ
Injuries: Greater Western Sydney: Taranto (shin). Brisbane Lions: Beams (shoulder).
Umpires: Haussen Deboy Chamberlain.
Crowd: 11,455 at the Gabba.
As encouraging as the Brisbane Lions' performances have been of late – despite having just two wins to their name after 13 rounds, and during a season filled with results that have defied tipsters – surely only the most optimistic football observers would have thought the Lions might get close to Greater Western Sydney.
Even a Giants side that lost to Carlton two weeks ago, and missing late withdrawal Josh Kelly, Stephen Coniglio, Brett Deledio, Rory Lobbe and Ryan Griffen. That impression was reinforced less than two minutes into the game, when captain Dayne Beams had his shoulder demolished by Shane Mumford.
That was game over for Beams, who looks likely to spend many weeks on the sidelines. In the meantime Dylan Shiel, who already had the ball on a string, kicked the Giants' first. Shiel was on his way to an explosive 37-possession game, gathering eight of them in the first four minutes and 24 in the first half.
It also as good as ended the match before it began for the Lions and a predictably poor crowd of 11,455. The Giants kicked six goals in the second quarter and nine in the third on their way to a 60-point win, with Toby Greene, Jonathan Patton and Jeremy Cameron the main destroyers.
Really, the Lions did well to keep it to 10 goals. It started to fall apart late in the second quarter after Sam Reid, who ran with and restricted the dynamic Dayne Zorko to a mere five touches – all in the first half – and got on the end of some hard running by Lachie Whitfield. Reid's role shut the Lions' second-best player out of the game.
No.2 draft pick Tim Taranto, Greene and Patton quickly made the margin a comfortable 33 points at half-time, and there would be no coming back from there for the Lions, plucky though they were. They've improved this season, no doubt, but there's still a huge gap in class between them and the top teams.
While they've markedly improved their ball movement and decision making in recent weeks, they were no match for the Giants' brilliance. Within minutes of the third quarter, the margin was out to 50 points, Nathan Wilson finding Greene with a 55-metre pass for his third goal.
The first-half battle between Greene and Nick Robertson was a microcosm of the contest. Robertson was as aggressive as his short-fused opponent, but where Greene is pure silk, Robertson's kicking remains a liability. Darcy Gardiner was moved onto Greene in the second half.
From there it was like watching a heavyweight champion using superior height and strength to hold a flailing lightweight at bay, before knocking them to the canvas in a flurry of punches. Patton and Cameron threw the knockout blows, taking 23 marks and kicking eight goals between them, five of them in the third quarter.
Cameron kicked his fourth in the third minute of the final quarter, putting the possibility of a three-figure flogging very much on the cards. To their credit, the Lions dug in to avoid that embarrassment, winning the last quarter. Coach Chris Fagan will take heart from that, especially after losing his captain so early.
Other good signs were the performance of debutant Alex Witherden, who finished among his side's best, the equally encouraging efforts of Jarrod Berry and Hugh McLuggage, both of whom are looking more comfortable by the week, and the spirited Lewis Taylor and Rhys Mathieson, who gathered a career-high 32 touches.
But it's going to take a few more years and many more shrewd draft picks for the Lions to challenge a premiership-level team like the Giants, who continue to steamroll their way to a maiden flag. Even in a season so unpredictable, it would be brave pundit to bet against them.
VOTES
J Patton (GWS) 8
T Greene (GWS) 8
D Shiel (GWS) 8
J Cameron (GWS) 7
S Reid (GWS) 7