Match

Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 24 Jul 2021

Pre Game

00:00
The Lions and the Suns have met on 11 occasions at this venue, with the Lions prevailing winners from eight of these encounters. Brisbane has won their last four matches against the Suns by an average margin of 65 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
04:31
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben King)
04:47
Ben King has kicked the opening goal of the match following the third clearance for the Suns. After kicking at least one goal in the first 11 rounds of the season, King had been held goalless in three of his last six matches.
06:16
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben Ainsworth)
07:40
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
08:18
Brisbane has struggled with their disposal during these early stages of the match, particularly when kicking. 33% of their kicks so far have been effective compared to 77% for the Suns.
10:52
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Josh Corbett)
11:18
Gold Coast's ball transition from their defensive half has been a standout so far, with both of their goals being launched from their defensive zones. The Suns scored 41 points launched from the defensive half last week against the Bulldogs.
12:15
Suns Interchange - Oleg Markov off due to an injury.
12:59
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Noah Anderson)
14:24
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben King)
15:29
The Suns are dominating possession, currently doubling the Lions for marks (18 to nine), and have won 22 more uncontested possessions. Two of the key midfielders for the Lions, Dayne Zorko and Hugh McCluggage, are yet to win a disposal.
17:06
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
17:18
Oleg Markov has been medically-subbed out of the game and replaced by Will Brodie.
18:58
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Joe Daniher)
19:53
Brisbane has scored their first goal of the match following their 11th inside 50. The Lions average a goal from 23.7% of their inside 50s this season, ranked 5th.
22:12
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Zac Bailey)
23:22
Sam Flanders has won a game-high eight disposals in the opening term, as well as leading the match in clearances with four. Flanders' most clearances in a match during his short career is five.
24:15
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
24:49
Suns Interchange - Sam Flanders off due to an injury.
25:40
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
28:32
Seven of the eight clearances for the Suns have been won by two players - Sam Flanders and Touk Miller. The Suns have scored 1.1 (7) sourced from clearances this quarter whilst holding Brisbane goalless from this source.
29:16
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben King)
30:40
The Suns were the more efficient side in the opening term, leading kicking efficiency 76% to Brisbane's 56%. This cleaner ball-use allowed for a greater conversion from their inside 50s, with the Suns scoring a goal from 27% of their forward 50 entries compared to 12% for Lions.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
03:14
Brisbane's two goals in the match have both been sourced from intercepts won in their forward 50. This is a great response by the Lions, who were held scoreless from this source and zone last week against Richmond.
04:20
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Touk Miller)
04:54
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
06:37
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jeremy Sharp)
07:18
Gold Coast has already passed their season average of scores launched from defensive 50. They have generated four scoring chains originating from this zone, whilst holding Brisbane goalless from their respective defensive 50 possession chains.
08:03
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Mitch Robinson)
09:14
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Alex Sexton)
11:17
Gold Coast has scored their first goal of the match sourced from a centre bounce stoppage. This has been a weakness for the Suns in 2021, scoring the fewest points from centre bounces of all sides. They are the only team to average less than a goal per game from this event type in 2021.
11:50
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Matt Rowell)
15:22
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Mitch Robinson)
16:59
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Touk Miller)
18:02
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben Ainsworth)
19:00
Despite trailing by 23 points, Brisbane’s forwards have hardly been starved of opportunity in the first half. The Lions have generated 13 more inside 50s than the Suns, however have three fewer scoring shots despite this territory advantage.
19:23
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Josh Corbett)
20:54
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Tom Fullarton)
21:40
An anomaly in this second quarter, the Suns have generated seven scores from just six inside 50s giving them a scores per inside 50 conversion of 117%. This is due to the Suns having won an intercept in the forward 50, ultimately resulting in a goal.
22:41
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
23:57
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Jarryd Lyons)
25:36
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
25:49
Brisbane's kick-to-handball ratio is at 2.41 - on track for their second-highest ratio of the season. They have been a high kicking side in recent weeks, recording the highest kick-to-handball ratio over the past month of all sides.
27:42
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
28:54
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben King)
29:29
Late in the second quarter, Gold Coast has generated nine scores from nine inside 50s. Only once this season has a team generated a score from 100% of their forward 50 entries this season (Greater Western Sydney in the third quarter of their round 10 encounter v West Coast).
32:47
Gold Coast's halftime score of 9.6(60) is their equal second-highest scoring first half of the season and their best first half against Brisbane since 2016. This comes despite generating 12 fewer inside 50s, their fourth-worst differential to halftime this season.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:18
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lachie Neale)
02:57
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Chris Burgess)
04:55
Brisbane has scored the opening goal of the second-half, this being their fourth goal of the match sourced from a forward 50 intercept. This is the most goals that the Lions have scored sourced from forward 50 intercepts since Round 5, 2019.
04:57
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben King)
05:45
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Zac Bailey)
06:14
Gold Coast converted 41% of their inside 50s into goals in the opening half. Only one team this season has recorded a goal per inside 50 conversion above 40% (Essendon in Round 10).
07:16
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
09:58
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Daniel McStay)
10:40
Gold Coast has held Brisbane goalless from stoppages today, an impressive defeat considering the Lions are the No. 1 ranked side for scores from stoppages this season. The lowest score that the Lions have scored from this source this season is 3.2(20).
12:25
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
13:57
Set shot accuracy has been poor by both sides today, but has particularly been an issue for Brisbane. The Lions have scored 2.7(19) from set shots today, whilst the Suns have scored 4.6(30) from their respective set shots.
17:10
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
18:27
The Lions have had 39 kicks going inside 50 today, retaining possession from 45% of these kicks as well as completing nine marks inside 50. Conversely, the Suns have only recorded 27 kicks going inside 50 for a 56% retention rate, and also taking nine marks inside 50.
19:46
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Joe Daniher)
20:32
Joe Daniher has clearly been Brisbane's most dangerous forward today. He has been involved in eight unique scoring chains for the Lions - the most for Lions and only one behind Ben King who leads the match with nine.
22:53
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
23:56
The Suns have been unable to match the Lions in aerial contests today. The Lions lead contested marks 16 to six, with Harris Andrews leading the way with three. Brisbane lead all contested possessions by 20, and they have also won the last eight clearances.
24:50
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
27:45
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
27:53
Five unanswered goals to the Lions this quarter sees them lead the match for the first time today. They have dominated territory in the last 10 minutes, with 87% of the play being held in their attacking half of the ground.
30:50
Having been held goalless from stoppages in the first half, the Lions responded in emphatic style at stoppages in the third quarter. They won 17 clearances to three, including 11of the last 12 clearances for the quarter. They scored three goals from this source, with all of these stoppage goals coming in the forward half.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:30
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Daniel McStay)
03:46
The Lions ability to score from forward 50 launches against the Suns in recent years has continued today. Since 2017, the Lions have only twice scored more than five goals from forward 50 launches - both of these games coming against Gold Coast. The Lions have kicked seven goals from this zone today.
04:18
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Hugh McCluggage)
05:35
Suns Interchange - Brayden Fiorini off due to an injury.
05:49
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben King)
06:39
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Joe Daniher)
08:16
Gold Coast's intense pressure has been a feature of their games in the last four weeks - averaging the highest pressure factor of all sides in this time. Their pressure factor of 173 today is their lowest output since round 14.
08:31
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
10:50
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
11:11
The Lions have now generated 26 more inside 50s than the Suns as they extend their run of consecutive goals to nine. They have been a strong territory side this season, recording the third-best inside 50 differential in the competition.
13:55
Lions Interchange - Mitch Robinson off due to the blood rule.
14:13
Oscar McInerney has won 10 clearances today which is the most in the match. This is the first time in his career that he has won 10 or more clearances in a match and takes his season tally to 87 clearances. This is the second-most clearances won by a ruckman this season.
17:04
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
17:26
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
17:46
The Lions have now scored seven goals sourced from forward 50 intercepts - their most ever recorded from this zone and source type.
20:53
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
21:32
Brisbane has now won 28 more contested possessions than the Suns and an overall advantage of 22 post-clearance contested possessions. 42% of the possessions won by the Lions this season has been won in a contested manner - the highest percentage of any side this year.
24:11
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Hugh McCluggage)
25:00
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
25:59
Brayden Fiorini has now amassed a career-high 39 disposals, surpassing his previous best of 38 disposals coming in Round 9, 2019 v Port Adelaide.
26:01
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jack Lukosius)
27:57
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Josh Corbett)
29:33
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jack Lukosius)
30:43
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Mitch Robinson)
32:30
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Dayne Zorko)
32:32
The Lions scored 13 second-half goals to one as they overturn a 27 point half-time deficit to win by 49 points. This came following an outstanding forward half game, with the Lions scoring 9.4 (58) launched from the forward 50. 13 scoring shots launched from the forward 50 is the most ever recorded by the Lions.