Match

Brisbane Lions vs Carlton

Commentary / 08 Mar 2024

Pre Game

00:00
The Blues led the league in scores from stoppages in 2023, plus 12 per game, but it was the Lions outscoring the Blues 30-16 in stoppage scores when they last met in the Lions 16-point preliminary final victory.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
03:05
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Hugh McCluggage)
03:25
Hugh McCluggage with the first goal of the game. He continues his impressive form from his pre-season appearance where he had a game-high 31 disposals and nine score involvements in the AAMI Community Series clash against the Swans.
05:55
Lewis Young with an early mark in his match-up on Joe Daniher. Young, Brodie Kemp and Mitch McGovern will hold the key defensive posts for the Blues tonight. The trio have played just seven games together previously, but never without Jacob Weitering alongside to anchor the defence.
06:28
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
07:31
Harry McKay slots his first goal of the season. He had 77 shots at goal in 2023, scoring only 29 goals with an accuracy of 37.7%. In contrast, in his 2021 Coleman Medal winning season he converted at 56.9%.
08:20
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Cam Rayner)
11:17
A game-high five disposals and three handball-receives early for Zac Williams returning for his first game since his ACL injury.
11:36
Blues Interchange - Sam Docherty off due to an injury.
13:35
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Dayne Zorko)
13:45
Dayne Zorko kicks the first stoppage goal of the game, after the first three goals were each from turnovers.
15:09
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Dayne Zorko)
18:07
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
19:07
The Blues jumped to an early lead in their preliminary final loss to the Lions last season, kicking the first five goals of the game, but it's the Lions jumping to an early lead tonight with five of the first six goals.
20:13
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
21:36
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
21:51
Charlie Cameron scored 22 goals, seven more than any other player, from 0-15m out last season. He opens his 2024 account with a goal from the goal-square.
23:53
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
24:06
The Lions are off to a hot start, they lead the inside 50 count 15-6, lead disposals 69-52 and marks 24-8.
25:02
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
28:36
Lachie Neale leading the disposal count early with eight so far, including five from an attacking midfield position. 40.2% of Neale's disposals in 2023 were in an attacking midfield position, the third largest proportion in this zone amongst the top 30 disposal winners in the league. This was up from 34.7% in the 2022 season.
29:38
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Lachie Fogarty)
30:32
After breaking into the team in round 14 last season, Lachie Fogarty led the Blues in forward 50 tackles, averaging 1.9 per game. He goals in the first quarter off the back of his first forward 50 tackle of the game.
32:49
The Lions held an advantage at the quarter time break a league-leading 16 times in the 2023 home and away season. They take a 32-point lead into the first break tonight courtesy of five goals from turnover and a dominant 21-9 lead in inside 50's through the first term.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:00
The Lions lead 30-12 in scores from stoppages after the first term and have scored three goals from scoring chains starting from their defensive 50.
01:22
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
02:36
The Lions ranked last in tackles per game in 2023 with 55.5 per game, but lead the tackle count 19-8 early in this game.
04:38
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Mitch McGovern)
07:39
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
07:56
Having dominated turnover scores in the first quarter, the Lions open the second term with two stoppage goals. The Lions now lead stoppage scores for the match 4.2 (26) to 0.0 (0).
13:14
Eric Hipwood misses from close range after a big contested mark. Carlton and Brisbane ranked first and third for contested marks in 2023 and ranked second and third for scores from contested marks.
16:06
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
17:48
Tom De Koning leads the hitouts 10-6 in his match-up against Oscar McInerney and leads hitouts-to-advantage three to one, but Carlton haven't been able to convert that into any clearance dominance, with the Lions leading clearances 14-11.
18:27
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
19:04
SCORE GOAL - Blues (David Cuningham)
21:10
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
23:36
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
23:56
Charlie Curnow averaged 1.9 goals per game when the Blues lost in 2023, but averaged 3.9 goals per game in victory. He snags his first of the game deep into the first half.
25:55
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Harry McKay)
26:27
Harry McKay fails to convert after his first contested mark of the game. McKay and Harris Andrews went head-to-head for 113 minutes the last time these teams met, with each leading their team for contested marks in that game. They are matched-up again tonight and have each taken one contested grab.
28:53
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
29:58
The Blues have scored just one behind from stoppages in the first half of this game. They averaged 35 points per game from stoppages last season and had a plus 12 differential. They are -25 in the first half tonight.
30:02
The Blues fought hard to get back into the contest in a tight second quarter. Carlton led disposals 79-78, marks 21-20, tackles 20-18 and inside 50's were 13 each, in a sign of how close the second term was.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
02:07
Keidean Coleman and Sam Docherty subbed out during the break. Coleman had four score involvements in the first half, while Docherty had four rebound 50's for the Blues.
02:10
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
03:23
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Charlie Curnow)
03:49
Charlie Curnow kicks two quick goals and has three for the match. The back-to-back Coleman Medal winner has no issue getting shots at goal having led the league in both goals and behinds in 2022 and 2023.
06:18
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Matthew Kennedy)
06:44
The Blues have kicked three goals from four inside 50's to start the third quarter.
08:16
Carlton lead the disposals 31-12 so far in the third quarter and have now kicked four goals to nil for the quarter.
09:37
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
11:23
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Jack Carroll)
13:05
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
14:01
Matthew Cottrell kicks the Blues sixth of the quarter and their eighth straight goal. Carlton have kicked four goals from turnover so far in the quarter.
15:24
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (David Cuningham)
16:32
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
16:46
After a damaging first half with 13 disposals and 392m gained, Darcy Wilmot has not had a disposal in the third quarter.
17:55
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
21:17
47-18 uncontested possession advantage to Carlton in this quarter and an uncontested mark advantage of 15-6.
22:08
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
23:11
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (David Cuningham)
23:53
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Joe Daniher)
24:15
After two earlier misses in the quarter, Joe Daniher goals to give Brisbane the lead again. Daniher has 1.2 for the night after kicking 61.37 last season.
27:48
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
28:25
These teams are getting their scores in very different ways. The Blues are plus 26 points for score chains starting in their forward half, while the Lions are plus 23 points from chains starting in their defensive half.
32:32
Blues Interchange - Patrick Cripps off due to an injury.
32:52
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
34:01
Brisbane led the inside 50 count 17-14 in the third term, but scored 1.6 (12) for the quarter, while the Blues converted for 7.2 (44). The Blues dominated most other metrics though and ended the quarter plus 34 disposals, plus 29 uncontested possessions and plus 10 tackles.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:19
Oscar McInerney ranked second among ruckmen for clearances per game in 2023, amassing 5.4 per game. He has six clearances through three-quarters tonight to lead all comers.
01:55
Zac Bailey goals to give the Lions the lead again. Hugh McCluggage important early in the term with three disposals, after having just eight through the first three-quarters.
04:21
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
07:31
George Hewett and Lachie Neale are the leading disposal winners for their team with 24 and 23 respectively. The pair have gone head-to-head for the majority of the contest.
08:26
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Patrick Cripps)
10:41
SCORE BEHIND - Blues (Rushed)
13:54
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
15:50
David Cuningham has two inside 50 tackles in the quarter, the only two for either side so far in the term. Lachie Fogarty has five for the game, the most of any player.
16:32
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
18:01
Disposals are 51 each and inside 50s are seven each for the final term, in an indication of the tight nature of this game.
18:35
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
18:59
Charlie Cameron goals and gives the Lions back the lead. Both of Brisbane's goals this quarter have started from a Blues turnover.
26:00
Brisbane possessing the ball late and lead the uncontested marks 20-13 in the final quarter.
28:27
SCORE GOAL - Blues (Harry McKay)
31:53
The Lions entered this game on a 14-match win streak at the Gabba and having won their last five encounters against the Blues. The Blues hadn't won at the Gabba since 2013, but have kicked 11 of the last 14 goals to come back from a 46-point deficit to win.