Australian Football

Match Report

In a weekend that featured several upsets, the Giants produced one of them, finishing all over the Brisbane Lions to record their largest ever score and biggest ever win at the 'Gabba on Saturday night. And in a double blow for Brisbane, the Lions not only lost to GWS for the first time, they may have also lost champion Jonathan Brown for the last time. Brown received an accidental knock to the face that saw it swell up immediately and him concussed and immediately subbed out of the game. In a television interview the next day, Brown said he was not sure if he's played his last game of AFL football.

On the back of recent improved performances in narrow losses to Hawthorn and Essendon, the Giants started this match well with early goals to Jonathan Patton, Lachie Whitfield and Dylan Shiel putting them 17 points clear at the 10-minute mark. Brisbane recovered, though, and at quarter time GWS were just one point to the good. An even and free-flowing second term saw Brisbane hold a narrow advantage at various stages but the Giants answered each of the Lions' goals and the margin at the long break was the same as it had been at quarter time.

GWS had the better of the early stages of the second half, goals to Adam Tomlinson and Adam Treloar putting the Giants 14 points clear. They then kicked four of the next seven goals to lead by 21 at the final change of ends.

The Lions needed to kick the first of the last term to give themselves any chance but it was Jeremy Cameron of GWS who did so, putting the Giants ahead by 27 points. They added three further majors for the quarter, via Patton, Tomlinson and Rhys Palmer to win convincingly by 45 points, eclipsing the 37-point win over Melbourne late last year as their biggest winning margin.

The win also lifted the Giants from the bottom of the ladder. One of four teams on three wins and eight losses, they have a better percentage than Brisbane (17th) and St Kilda (18th). The Giants will look to make it four wins for the year when they host Carlton at the Sydney Showground next Sunday, while Brisbane face a huge task against Fremantle next Saturday night at Subiaco.

GOALS
Brisbane: Zorko, Taylor 3; Brown, Close 2; Gardiner, Green
GWS: Cameron 4; Patton 3; Treloar, Tomlinson, Shiel 2; Palmer, Scully, Hoskin-Elliott, Hunt, Wilson, Whitfield

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Hanley, Taylor, Redden, Paparone, Zorko
GWS: Ward, Scully, Whitfield, Treloar, Shiel, Palmer, Cameron

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Taylor, Hanley, Zorko, Redden, Paparone
GWS: Whitfield, Shiel, Mumford, Treloar, Ward, Scully

COACHES' COMMENTS
Justin Leppitsch (Bris): There weren't many good players. Our scores from stoppages were really poor. They kicked five goals from forward-50 stoppages. That's a pretty general sign that you're general accountability and your ability to be switched on is not there. 
Leon Cameron (GWS): To win on the road is a significant moment for our footy club. We've been obviously trying for two years and to win on the road in that style was really, really good. I think it was on the back end of the last two weeks. We were really competitive against Hawthorn, a top side, and Essendon as well.

INJURIES
Brisbane: Merrett (throat infection) replaced in selected side by Close, Brown (face).
GWS: Corr (shoulder) replaced in selection side by Bugg, Kennedy (shoulder) replaced in selected side by Wilson.

SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Zac O'Brien replaced Jonathan Brown (face) in the third quarter.
GWS: Stephen Coniglio replaced Jacob Townsend in the third quarter.

UMPIRES: Stephens, Nicholls, Harris

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Matthew Campbell, Alastair Lynch, Mark Ricciuto