Australian Football

Match Report

Brisbane has won its second game of the season, and its first in Australia for 2014, after it came from behind to score an upset victory over Carlton at the Gabba on Saturday. The Lions, who have had a wretched season with form and injury so far this year, jumped Carlton early, surrendered the lead in the second term, regained it and lost it once more in the third, then kicked the last four goals of the match to sneak home by seven points in a thriller.

The Lions looked a far cry from the side that was thrashed from go to whoa in their match against North Melbourne two weeks earlier, kicking the first two goals of the match via Jackson Paine and Daniel Merrett, the latter a beautiful snap from an almost impossible angle that had all fans at the Gabba roaring. David Ellard scored Carlton's first goal at the 10-minute mark bout Brisbane dominated the remainder of the quarter to lead by 28 points, 5.5 to 1.1, at the first break.

Carlton turned things around as soon as the second term began. Unanswered goals to Troy Menzel, Andrejs Everitt, Mark Murphy, Jeff Garlett (two) and Lachie Henderson saw the Blues nine points clear close to half time, but a late brace of goals to Lions Jonathan Brown and Marco Paparone saw Brisbane take a narrow four-point advantage into the long break.

Brown kicked another too kick off the third term but then Garlett, Sam Docherty and Henderson all kicked majors to put Carlton 11 points clear half-way through the quarter. Dayne Zorko brought the margin back under a goal at the 17-minute mark but Jarrad Waite marked at the top of the square and converted to put the Blues an even two goals clear at the 24-minute mark. Zorko kicked his second late in the term before a Lewis Taylor behind saw the Lions close the gap to just five points at the last change of ends.

The final quarter was a thriller. In the early stages it looked as through Carlton would go on with the job, with goals to Henderson and Tuohy putting them 16 points clear. But the Lions would not go away. Claye Beams kicked a major at the 15-minute mark to make the difference 10 points and then a free-kick for high contact saw Brown goal to cut Carlton's lead to just four points as the final term entered time-on. Undisciplined play from Jarrad Waite saw first-gamer awarded a free kick at the 22-minute mark, which he converted to put Brisbane in front.

At the 26-minute mark, Blue Chris Yarran took what looked to be a saving mark but the umpire deemed he did not control it for long enough and Lion Josh Green swooped on the spilled ball to goal and put Brisbane nine points clear with 27 minutes gone. The Blues had several further forays forward after that but could manage just three behinds, and Brisbane held on in a tight finish to win by seven points.

Despite the win, the Lions are still at the foot of the ladder, with a 2-8 record and behind 17th-placed GWS on percentage. They will look for a third win when they take on the Western Bulldogs at Docklands next Saturday night. For Carlton, the loss sees it slip top 12th on the ladder, two games adrift of the top eight. The Blues face a tough assignment in round 12, facing up to Geelong at Kardinia Park on Friday night, the Cats having been stung by a thrashing at the hands of Sydney last Thursday.

GOALS
Brisbane: Brown 3; Merrett, Zorko, Green 2; Paine, Redden, Paparone, Beams, O’Brien
Carlton: Garlett, Henderson 3; Ellard, Menzel, Everitt, Murphy, Docherty, Waite, Tuohy

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Rockliff, Redden, Zorko, Hanley, Brown, Paparone
Carlton: Murohy, Simpson, Henderson, Warnock, Docherty

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Redden, Zorko, Rockliff, Patfull, Brown
Carlton: Murphy, Warnock, Simpson, Docherty, Henderson

COACHES' COMMENTS
Justin Leppitsch (Bris): At the start, I thought, "this is great, this coaching game". It was a bit of a momentum game which ebbed and flowed. After that second quarter it was going one way and the other way. Bit of credit to our leaders at the end Joel Patfull and Jed [Adcock] and Rocky [Tom Rockliff]. Daniel Merrett when Westy [Trent West] really held the ship. It was a tough and important last quarter and we came through, so I'm really impressed by that.

Mick Malthouse: We gave it up. Term by term they adjusted got the weather far better than us. They murdered us in the first quarter. We were second to the footy and paid a big penalty. Good comeback, then gave up two late goals [in the second term]. Third quarter was okay. In the last quarter but just didn't have the legs in the end. Our discipline was ordinary and they were harder longer.

INJURIES
Brisbane: West (knee)
Carlton: Ellard (Achilles)

SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Zac O'Brien on for Trent West in the second quarter.
Carlton: Jeff Garlett on for David Ellard in the second quarter.

REPORTS: Chris Yarran (strike on Pearce Hanley)

UMPIRES: Rosebury, Kamolins and Harris

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Alastair Lynch, Mark Ricciuto, Cameron Mooney