Match

Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 04 May 2025

Pre Game

00:00
Brisbane has won 13 of 15 games against Gold Coast since Chris Fagan took over as coach in 2017. The Lions have averaged 103 points per game against the SUNS during this period, which is the most of any team.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:17
Brisbane has scored just 27 total points in the first 10 minutes of games this season (ranked last).
02:06
The Lions are ranked second in clearances this season, winning this measure by an average of six per game. The SUNS are the No.1 ranked clearance team this season, making the stoppages an important battle tonight.
02:41
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (David Swallow)
03:21
The first goal of the game for Gold Coast came from its first clearance win. The SUNS average 43 points per game from stoppages (ranked second).
04:09
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
06:17
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
06:27
Brisbane has won four of the first five clearances, including two from centre bounce, but Gold Coast has the early stoppage goal. The SUNS have conceded a score from just 19 per cent of opposition centre bounce clearances this season (ranked No.1 defensively).
09:28
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
10:16
Brisbane is ranked second in winning hardball gets this season, but Gold Coast has an early 4-1 lead in this measure. Gold Coast is the No.1 ranked team in contested possession differential this season and has lost this count only once.
13:34
The Lions have 11 different players who have already recorded an effective tackle and lead 212-179 in pressure rating. However, a forward half kicking efficiency of only 33 per cent from Brisbane is preventing it from taking advantage of a 7-3 inside 50 ledger.
17:43
Brisbane is ranked in the bottom-4 this season for winning ground balls in its forward 50, losing this count by an average of 4.6 per game in this zone. Gold Coast leads 5-1 in ground balls won in the forward 50 of the Lions tonight.
19:08
The Ashcroft brothers have already recorded 17 disposals for the Lions, with both players seeking to win a medal named after their father for best-on-ground in this game.
19:32
SUNS Interchange - Lachie Weller and is possibly out for the game.
19:50
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Cam Rayner)
21:42
Lions Interchange - Sam Day and is possibly out for the game.
22:04
Gold Coast has recorded a kicking efficiency of 88 per cent in its defensive half, but only 43 per cent in its forward half. Brisbane has 74 per cent kicking efficiency in the defensive half and 48 per cent in the forward half.
24:09
The Lions have never had a goalless opening quarter against the SUNS and have scored at least 20 points in the opening quarter in each of the last six games against their neighbour.
24:28
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Jarrod Witts)
27:21
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
27:29
Brisbane generated four scores from turnovers in the opening quarter, while Gold Coast did not score from this source, with both of its scores coming from stoppages. The Lions had the better of contested possessions (41-36) and inside 50 entries (15-9) during a tight first quarter played in slippery conditions.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:10
Sam Collins was the No.1 rated player in the opening quarter, with the Gold Coast defensive anchor recording three spoils, three contested possessions, two intercept possessions, and a smother in a typically strong disruptive role.
00:38
Brisbane finished the opening quarter ahead 27-10 in tackles. This is the equal third-biggest tackle differential in a quarter recorded by the Lions this century.
02:21
A brilliant intercept and elusive play from Charlie Cameron has given him his first goal since Round 4 against Richmond. The Lions now lead 7-5 in forward half intercepts and 13-0 in points scored from this source. The SUNS are ranked No.1 in the latter measure.
04:10
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
04:24
After waiting nearly a month for a goal, Charlie Cameron has kicked two goals in less than two minutes and again it followed a forward half intercept with Gold Coast struggling to clear the ball from its defensive half.
05:19
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Darcy Gardiner)
06:20
The Lions have generated nine of the last ten inside 50 entries with the SUNS defence under constant pressure and being forced into error. Brisbane leads the overall inside 50 count 22-10.
06:47
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Conor McKenna)
07:20
Brisbane now leads 27-0 in points scored from turnovers following the last goal from the returning Conor McKenna, who has been deployed as a forward tonight.
08:30
Brisbane has dominated both contested possessions (16-6) and uncontested possessions (22-5) this quarter in a period of total dominance that has realised three goals.
10:44
A terrific goal from the talented Mac Andrew has ended the run of Brisbane goals at four. It was the first score of the game for the SUNS to come from a turnover, and they average 61 points per game from this source (ranked second).
12:50
The wet conditions and lack of forward entries have made it difficult for the tall Gold Coast forwards, with Ben King, Ethan Read and Jed Walter yet to record an effective disposal between them.
14:47
Matt Rowell had just eight contested possessions against Sydney in Round 7, which is his second-fewest over the last three seasons. Rowell has won just two contested possessions tonight, spending time opposed to Lion midfield guru Josh Dunkley.
15:15
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
16:56
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
17:05
Consecutive goals to the SUNS with Jed Walter converting his set shot, and in the last ten minutes, Gold Coast has squared the contested possession ledger after Brisbane dominated this in the early stages of the quarter.
18:27
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Levi Ashcroft)
23:18
Despite trailing 16-28 in the inside 50 count, Gold Coast leads 14-7 in forward 50 ground balls, with 11 different players winning a ground ball in this zone for the SUNS.
25:49
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Will Graham)
26:02
The last five inside 50 entries have gone the way of Gold Coast, and in the last ten minutes, the SUNS have dominated uncontested possessions 27-12.
30:21
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
30:40
Brisbane now leads the contested possession count 84-69, which equals the most contested possessions won in the first half of a game this season.
31:07
The Lions again had the better of clearances (12-6) and post-clearance contested possessions (29-23) in the second quarter, and the three goals they scored in the first seven minutes may prove pivotal in a low-scoring game.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:07
Will Ashcroft was the No.1 rated player in the first half. Ashcroft recorded game-highs for contested possessions (12) and disposals (21), along with equal game-highs for clearances (5) and score involvements (4).
00:27
Brisbane averages 24 points per game from forward half stoppages (ranked No.1). In the first half, Brisbane had 23 stoppages in its forward half that resulted in ten clearance wins but a score of just one point.
03:37
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
03:44
This season, the Lions have scored from 12.7 per cent of their defensive 50 chains (ranked No.1). The last goal from Callum Ah Chee was the first score of the game tonight for Brisbane to come from 21 defensive 50 chains.
06:16
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
06:24
The third quarter is replicating the second quarter, with Charlie Cameron featuring in early goals from the Lions. Having kicked eight behinds across the last three weeks, the crowd favourite Cameron is the only multiple goal kicker tonight with three crucial goals.
08:48
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
08:59
Brisbane has won the last ten clearances of the game, forcing Gold Coast to mount counterattacks. The SUNS have launched their last two goals from chains starting in the defensive midfield.
12:23
Since Damien Hardwick took over as coach last season, the SUNS have won 8 of the 9 games when they have won clearances by at least five and won only 3 of the 12 games when they have lost clearances by at least five. Brisbane leads the clearances tonight 32-15.
14:23
Brisbane has won just 18.6 per cent of its offensive one-on-one contests this season (ranked 17th). However, tonight the Lions have won five of nine such contests and lost only two (the other two have been halved).
16:10
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
16:20
Another clearance win by the Lions has finally been converted into a goal. Brisbane leads 12-5 in forward half clearances, but has converted this into just 13-7 points scored from this source.
18:21
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
18:38
Gold Coast has won hard ball gets tonight 20-10, but has lost loose ball gets 40-61, with this a key reason Brisbane holds a major lead in contested possessions.
20:26
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
21:31
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
22:54
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Darcy Gardiner)
23:25
A rare goal for defender-turned-forward Darcy Gardiner. The last time Gardiner kicked a goal was in the corresponding match in 2024 before a knee injury prematurely ended his season.
26:06
Lachie Neale (8) and Hugh McCluggage (7) have nearly won as many clearances combined as Gold Coast (17) tonight.
27:07
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
27:15
Three third-quarter goals for Callum Ah Chee, who had kicked only three goals in eight previous games against his former team. The Lions have obliterated the SUNS 17-4 in clearances this quarter, with a clearance being the source of the last goal.
30:48
A powerful third quarter from the Lions, who won clearances 17-5 and scored three goals from this source. Brisbane again had more inside 50 entries (16-9) and forward half intercepts (9-1), forcing the SUNS to defend for long periods.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:23
In Round 7, Bailey Humphrey became just the second Gold Coast player after Gary Ablett to have 13 contested possessions, five clearances, and four goals in a game. Humphrey has won a team-high 12 contested possessions and three clearances tonight, but has not kicked a goal.
01:53
Noah Anderson has now had 20-plus disposals in each of his last 24 games, which is the second-longest active streak of 20-plus disposals in the competition.
02:42
Gold Coast ranks No.1 in both points from intercept possession differential and points from clearance differential this season. Brisbane has outscored the SUNS tonight from both intercepts (41-22) and stoppages (21-7).
03:53
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
08:04
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Jake Rogers)
08:11
The SUNS have scored 36 points per game from forward half intercepts this season (ranked No.1). Tonight, Gold Coast has scored only eight points from 13 such intercepts.
09:17
The SUNS are the No.1 ranked team in final quarters this season, but have given themselves a lot of work to do tonight in the final period to challenge the reigning premier.
10:41
Brisbane has scored only seven points per game from centre bounce clearances this season (ranked 17th). Despite winning such clearances 11-5 tonight, the Lions have scored only two points from this source.
11:35
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
14:21
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Zac Bailey)
15:58
Will Ashcroft has won a career-high 17 contested possessions tonight and recorded a game-high 32 disposals to remain the top-rated player on the ground. Brother Levi has also posted a career-high 28 disposals.
17:54
Josh Dunkley averages 26 disposals against the SUNS across 10 career games, which is his equal-most against any opposition. Dunkley has again been important tonight in helping to quell Matt Rowell while also recording 24 disposals.
19:17
The Lions have conceded three-or-more goal streaks to their opposition just seven times this season, which is the fewest of any side. The SUNS have not kicked more than two consecutive goals tonight.
19:23
SUNS Interchange - Nick Holman off due to the blood rule.
20:36
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ethan Read)
23:01
A pair of goals from close range to the SUNS that have both been launched with defensive half intercepts. Gold Coast now leads 27-16 in points scored from defensive half chains.
26:05
Harris Andrew has posted game-highs for intercept possessions (11), spoils (11) and intercept marks (5), and offensively, 14 of his 15 disposals have been effective.
26:16
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
29:40
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Touk Miller)
30:48
A comfortable win for the Lions despite not kicking a goal in the final quarter. 63 disposals from the Ashcroft brothers, a clearance count of 47-28 and advantages in tackles (67-52), inside 50 entries (56-40), and contested possessions (147-125) ensured Brisbane returns to the top of the ladder.