Match

Brisbane Lions vs Geelong Cats

Commentary / 20 Apr 2024

Pre Game

00:00
Brisbane has won only three of its last 15 games against Geelong with an average losing margin of 46 points during this period. However, the Lions have won the last two games against the Cats at this venue.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:58
The opening goal of the game to the Lions came from a forward half stoppage. Brisbane is ranked second at winning clearances this season while Geelong is ranked second-last.
02:33
Brisbane has won more forward half clearances than any other team this season and is the No.1 ranked team for time in forward half. The opening minutes tonight have followed this trend.
04:09
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
04:31
Brisbane has won three of the first four clearances and generated the first four inside 50 entries of the game with Geelong yet to record an uncontested possession.
07:10
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
07:17
The Lions have already generated four forward half intercepts which has helped them to the first eight inside 50 entries of the game. Brisbane leads 24-1 in forward half disposals.
10:31
Brisbane has been involved in the most around-the-ground stoppages per game this season and Geelong has been involved in the third-most. With the wet conditions tonight, there will likely again be a high number of such stoppages.
12:54
A costly pair of 50-metre penalties against Geelong has gifted a goal to Dayne Zorko. This was the first inside 50 of the game generated from a defensive 50 chain, and given the conditions, these chains will be difficult tonight.
15:37
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
16:43
The Lions lead the inside 50 count 11-4, but have more significant advantages in forward 50 disposals (12-0), forward 50 tackles (6-1), and shots at goal (7-0).
18:53
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
19:02
The first score of the game for the Cats followed a forward half intercept. Geelong has averaged 33 points per game from this source (ranked fourth).
19:38
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jack Bowes)
19:57
Geelong scored its first goal of the game from a forward half intercept. The Cats have the third-best strike rate at converting these intercepts into points scored this season, and have generated six of the last eight such intercepts tonight.
23:02
Geelong has directed the highest percentage of kicks forward and long this season. This looks set to continue tonight with the Cats leading in long kicks (11-7) and Brisbane leading in short kicks (15-4).
24:48
An excellent goal from Ollie Henry has given the Cats their first score of the night from a stoppage. Geelong has won four of the last six clearances after Brisbane started strongly in this measure.
26:36
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
28:02
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
33:03
Brisbane had the better of clearances (16-10) and contested possessions (48-36) in the opening term but with a kicking efficiency of only 44 percent was not able to capitalise on this advantage. This is the lowest kicking efficiency in the opening quarter of a game this season.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:26
Lincoln McCarthy was the No.1 ranked player on the ground in the opening quarter with eight disposals (seven in the forward half), four contested possessions, two tackles, and one goal against his former team.
02:12
Geelong is ranked second for differential in loose ball gets this season. However, tonight the Cats trail 19-30 in this measure with the Lions doing well to get numbers first to such contests.
03:11
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Dayne Zorko)
03:39
Brisbane has now converted its 19-12 advantage in clearances into a 20-6 lead in points scored from stoppages following the last goal from Dayne Zorko.
04:26
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Brad Close)
05:24
Tanner Bruhn has been the No.1 ranked pressure player tonight with his ten pressure acts including a game-high six tackles. Bruhn has averaged 4.5 tackles per game this season.
08:16
Dayne Zorko continues to provide drive for the Lions in his new role across half-back. Zorko leads all players for metres gained, has kicked two goals, and is the No.1 ranked Lion for pressure.
08:18
Lions Interchange - Oscar McInerney off due to an injury.
11:10
Geelong is yet to generate an inside 50 entry from 15 defensive 50 chain and Brisbane has only had two such inside 50 entries (one of these was due to 50-metre penalties). The wet conditions continue to make clearances and contested possessions important in winning territory.
11:33
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
16:10
Josh Dunkley had a game-high 30 disposals last week against the Demons, also having 11 contested possessions. The prolific Lion leads all players for contested possessions (8) and clearances (4) tonight and looms as a pivotal player.
17:23
Since Round 2, the Lions have won the around-the-ground clearances by 10.3 per game (ranked No.1). Tonight Brisbane leads 22-17 in such clearances and 20-6 in points scored from this source.
19:30
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
19:58
In the second quarter, Geelong leads the clearance count 12-7 and also leads inside 50 entries (9-6) with Brisbane ruck Oscar McInerney currently off the ground.
22:40
An excellent goal on the counterattack from the Cats with the pace of Max Holmes and the class of Tyson Stengle combining. Holmes has gained a game-high 399 metres from his 12 disposals and won four intercept possessions.
24:07
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Jaspa Fletcher)
24:55
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Darcy Gardiner)
25:01
Brisbane has hit the post three times tonight and despite leading 13-5 in shots at goal has been unable to convert this on the scoreboard.
25:56
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
26:05
The Cats are in the lead for the first time tonight following another goal on the counter-attack, this time from a kick-in chain. Geelong has averaged six points per game from this source (ranked fourth).
28:28
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Gryan Miers)
29:44
Geelong has now won 10 of the last 13 clearances with this stoppage advantage starting when Oscar McInerney left the field and helping the Cats kick the last two goals and edge the inside 50 count this term (13-11).
31:12
Cats Interchange - Tom Stewart off due to an injury.
31:26
Brisbane has had the better of contested possessions (92-76) and generated more shots at goal (13-7 including misses) but the Cats have kicked three goals from within 30 metres displaying clever ball use when entering the forward 50.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:16
Dayne Zorko was the No.1 ranked player on the ground in the first half with 15 disposals a team-high four tackles and a pair of crucial goals.
01:20
Noah Answerth won a game-high nine intercept possessions in the first half which also equals the most intercept possessions he has ever recorded in a game.
03:18
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
04:17
Brisbane has a narrow lead in forward half intercepts (14-12) but has scored 0.5.5 from this source while Geelong has scored 1.1.7 from its forward half intercepts.
06:54
Brisbane continues to utilise more short kicks (37-22) and has taken more marks in the forward half (21-6) but still is having difficulty generating quality shots at goal.
07:19
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
09:09
The Lions have started this quarter with a 16-8 advantage in contested possessions including 11-6 in ground balls. This has helped Brisbane to have 82 percent time in forward half.
09:31
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
10:37
The goal from Jarrod Berry followed a forward half intercept by Brisbane and was the first goal of the night for the Lions to come from a turnover.
12:18
Geelong now leads 25-9 in points scored from the back half following the last goal from Mark O'Connor. The Cats continue to look dangerous on counter attack moving the ball into an open forward 50.
16:44
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
16:57
Brisbane has now scored 2.4.16 from its set shots at goal while Geelong has scored 2.1.13 from its set shots. The Lions have scored 0.4.4 from beyond 40 metres (with another two shots failing to score) while Geelong has scored 2.2.14 from this range.
20:42
The Cats are one of just three teams that Hugh McCluggage averages less than 20 disposals against. McCluggage has this quarter recorded more disposals (9) and contested possessions (5) than any other player.
24:08
Tyson Stengle continues to be a threat and has recorded more disposals in the forward 50 (8) than any other player tonight, winning four ground balls in this zone and applying two tackles to help lock the ball in the forward half for the Cats.
25:13
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
25:35
An excellent set shot at goal from Brad Close gives the lead back to the Cats. This was the first goal of the night from a forward half stoppage for Geelong. Both teams have had 43 stoppages in their forward half and Brisbane leads 13-7 in points scored from this source.
29:22
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
31:33
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
31:42
Geelong has dominated the inside 50 count this term 20-11 due to a 9-3 advantage in forward half intercepts and more direct ball movement with a kick-to-handball ratio of 2.45 compared to 1.40 for Brisbane.
32:23
Despite Brisbane having a major advantage in contested possessions (132-111), Geelong has been able to generate more inside 50 entries (46-36) winning forward half intercepts (21-15) and applying more tackles in the forward half (38-24).

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:44
The free kick to Dayne Zorko for holding the ball to start the final quarter was the first such free kick awarded to Brisbane. Geelong has won five free kicks for holding the ball and leads the tackle count (71-52) and tackle efficiency (76 percent to 68 percent).
02:42
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jack Bowes)
03:54
Five of the last six goals for the Cats who appear to have adapted to the slippery conditions better tonight in winning territory. After Brisbane had the first 13 disposals in the forward 50 tonight, Geelong leads 58-28 in this measure since.
06:55
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
07:47
The Cats scored 139 points in Round 5 with none coming from free kicks, which is the second-most points scored without any from free kicks since 2016. Tonight Geelong has scored just one behind from a free kick with the last goal from Gryan Miers assisted by a 50-metre penalty.
09:02
Tyson Stengle has won a career-high 11 contested possessions tonight (which is also a team-high) and has had 12 disposals in the forward 50 which also equals a career-high.
09:25
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
09:57
Geelong now leads 37-11 in points scored from the back half and has looked the more dangerous team with ball movement for much of the night.
11:25
Cats Interchange - Jack Bowes off due to an injury.
11:29
Tom Atkins has forced a turnover from 25 percent of his pressure acts this season, which is ranked second among the top-100 pressure players. Atkins has again been important in disrupting opposition ball movement tonight, but this time with a team-high nine intercepts playing as a defender.
12:32
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brandan Parfitt)
12:47
Brandon Parfitt has made it 9 of the last 11 goals for the Cats with a goal from a forward half stoppage. Parfitt has been the No.1 ranked Cat tonight for pressure and won an equal team-high six clearances.
15:57
Jack Bowes generated a team-high six centre bounce clearances in Round 5, winning 23 disposals for the second match in a row. Bowes has again been prominent tonight in a different role winning nine contested possessions, four intercepts, applying five tackles, and kicking a goal.
18:13
Tom Hawkins finished goalless against the Lions in Round 2 last season for just the second time in 23 career games. Hawkins has been primarily opposed to Jack Payne tonight and while he has not had a shot at goal he has been involved in five scores providing two assists.
19:16
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
21:47
Geelong has recorded a higher kick-to-handball ratio tonight (1.64 to 1.42) and has also had a higher number of long kicks (57-51) while Brisbane has used more short kicks (51-35).
22:15
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Gryan Miers)
23:27
Zach Guthrie has again been a prominent defender for the Cats with eight intercept possessions, six spoils, and a game-high 739 metres gained from his 20 disposals.
26:59
The lowest score that the Lions have posted at the Gabba is 38 points which has happened on two occasions (2015 v North Melbourne and in 1996 v Carlton)
31:01
An excellent win by the Cats who outscored the Lions 36-15 from turnovers and through better ball use finished with 38-11 points from the back half. Geelong finished with more tackles (85-72), inside 50 entries (57-50) and nine of the last 11 goals.