The Brisbane Lions have jumped back into the winner’s circle this week after a 111-point demolition of the Sydney Swans in the VFL.
Brighton Homes Arena played host to the Round 13 matchup with the Lions fresh off their first loss of the season.
With the Lions undefeated on their home ground in 2023, captain Wylie Buzza said it was fast becoming a fortress for the team.
“We really enjoy coming home and playing in front of our fans,” he said.
“We haven’t really had a home base since beginning in the VFL and to be able to create a fortress at Brighton Homes Arena has been huge.
“It was also nice to bounce back from a tough loss last week and it gives us some momentum going into the back half of the year.”
Blake Coleman got the Lions off to the perfect start with a goal in the first two minutes courtesy of a clean gather and finish.
A back-and-forth 10 minutes ensued with neither side gaining the upper hand before Shadeau Brain was able to break the scoring drought.
Brain and Coleman both finished with four goals and brought plenty of energy to the Lions forward half.
The Lions kicked the next two goals to round out the first term thanks to set shots from Cal Ah Chee and Buzza.
Jarryd Lyons made his impact felt early in the contest and would prove a game breaker for the Lions.
The talented midfielder finished with 34 disposals, 13 clearances and eight tackles in another dominant performance at VFL level.
The second term started in similar fashion to the first, with Tom Fullarton hanging onto a tough mark before kicking truly for his opening goal.
Both teams then traded goals with Nakia Cockatoo and Buzza kicking majors as the Lions finished the quarter with a flurry.
Fullarton kicked his second as Buzza kicked two more to have four majors by half time.
Fullarton and Buzza made their presence felt up forward with two and four goals respectively for the contest.
Fullarton also had 19 touches, eight marks and five hit outs, while Buzza had 14 disposals and eight marks.
Jaxon Prior, who returned to the VFL this week, also showed his class off half back.
Prior collected 24 disposals, but his ability to marshal the backline and make life hard for Sydney’s forwards was on full display.
The Lions came out of the half-time break firing, booting the first four goals of the third quarter.
Kalin Lane marked and goaled, while Coleman picked the ball up off the ground and dribbled it through traffic, but the highlight of the term belonged to Harry Sharp.
Sharp sold four different offers of candy before cooly slotting his first major in another solid performance for the Lions winger.
James Madden was instrumental off half back as he provided run and carry through the middle of the ground, finishing with 23 touches and six marks.
Madden kicked a goal on the run from 45 metres to round out the third quarter.
Noah Answerth was notably impactful through the midfield as he collected 22 possessions, 10 marks, 10 tackles and a goal for the match.
The final term was owned by the Lions who kicked five unanswered goals with Answerth booting a major from inside the centre square.
Lions Academy product Elijah Glass secured his first goal in VFL football.
The Lions will now turn their attention to the Sandringham as they travel to Melbourne next week to take on the Zebras at Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Saturday.
Final Score
Brisbane 142 def Sydney 31
Goals: Buzza 4, Coleman 4, Brain 4, Fullarton 2, Sharp, Madden, Lane, Glass, Cockatoo, Answerth, Ah Chee
Best: Madden, Lyons, Prior, Fullarton, Coleman, Brain