The 41.28 (274) to 5.3 (33) annihilation moves the Lions into outright third on the NEAFL ladder, only a game behind Southport and Labrador, and a game in front of the Gold Coast Suns Reserves.
Significantly, the Lions now have easily the best percentage in the competition after nine rounds, a factor which could prove crucial towards the tail end of a tightly contested season.
The home team buffeted the Yeronga big sticks with leather; they had 15 different goal kickers and 11 players who kicked multiple majors.
Twin towers Aaron Cornelius and Bryce Retzlaff both had 12 marks and bagged seven goals, while Sam Sheldon and Jordan Lisle kicked four apiece.
The Lions registered seven goals in the first quarter, 12 in the second, eight in the third, and a phenomenal 14 in quarter four.
The match’s statistics were staggeringly lopsided.
Aside from the obvious scoreboard assault, the Lions doubled the Giants in clearances, marks and possessions, and had more than four times their inside 50’s.
UWS had a mere 22 inside 50’s for the game, compared with the Lions’ 99. During the final quarter shellacking the visitors had it inside their arc just twice, as opposed to the oppositions 32.
Amon Buchannan led all comers with 38 disposals in his third game back from injury, Stephen Wrigley continued his outstanding form with 33 touches, while Claye Beams notched 29 and Cheynee Stiller 27.
But it was big Ben Hudson who Coach Nathan Clarke labelled as best on ground. The former Western Bulldog was unstoppable in the ruck; winning hit outs at will, and amassing 19 possessions and 2 goals.
First round draft pick Sam Docherty, who was solid from limited opportunities playing in defence, was pleased with the result.
“It was a tough day down in the backline! But the forwards did really well and we ended up dominating the midfield,” Docherty said.
“It was a really good team effort, it was good that we kept the pressure on the whole game and didn’t let up."
“Games like this it’s important to be ruthless; you never know when those percentage points will come in handy.”
It was a 9:30am start at Yeronga on Sunday, but the home team showed no signs of early morning lethargy.
They started the goal scoring onslaught within the first two minutes when Sheldon converted after winning a free kick, and from there on it was carnage.
Retzlaff slotted his first from near the boundary line after marking a searching Hudson pass, Lisle did likewise after a Cornelius assist, before Cornelius himself goaled.
Brad Harvey snapped a classy left foot major, Lisle kicked his second, and the Lions led 7.9 (51) to 1.0 (6) at the first change.
Sam Docherty kicked the goal of the day, and his first for his new club, at the start of the second stanza.
The Lions' #1 cleanly gathered a loose ball just inside the paint 70 metres out, swivelled and turned two Giants defenders inside out, took a bounce as he accelerated clear of another, and split the sticks at full pace from the boundary.
It was one of many highlights of the second term, which included two majors from a bullocking Amon Buchanan, and several strong grabs and goals from the Lions’ tall trio of Retzlaff, Cornelius and Lisle.
The half time scoreline was 19.12 (126) to 3.1 (19) and there were whispers among the 40-odd Lions supporters present that a 200-point margin was in the offing.
In the end the margin was nearer to 250 after a strong third term and a super final half hour.
Sheldon kicked two for the third term, and Harvey, Josh Dyson and Retzlaff slotted majors to extend their team’s lead to 152 points at three-quarter-time.
The final quarter was a revolving door of processions from the centre square as a result of deft Hudson hit-outs, mark after mark inside 50, and a glut of goals.
Callum Bartlett, who was among his team’s best, kicked the first of the term before Wrigley drained a long bomb from outside 50 and Richard Newell bagged a double in quick succession.
Retzlaff and Cornelius kicked another two apiece, Jackson Starcevich got involved with a brace of big marks and goals, and Lisle slotted is fourth from a tight angle.
UWS registered just one behind for the quarter, and finished a titanic 241 points behind when the final siren blew.
The Lions' cubs were ecstatic in the rooms after the game, buoyed by the big win and their impending week off.
Sam Docherty said it was a ‘huge confidence boost’ and ‘great for everyone to get their hands on the footy.’
He explained the week off due to the Northern and Eastern Conference representative clash would be a boon for the Lions boys.
“We’re all looking forward to having the week off to rest and recover, and hopefully see the seniors get up over the Kangaroos,” Docherty said.
“We’ll train pretty hard during the week, and maybe tick the legs over for a bit on the weekend, but there won’t be a scratch match or anything like that.”
The Lions next play Broadbeach away from home at 1:30pm on Saturday 2 June.
Sam Canavan reports on Lions Reserves home games.
You can follow him on Twitter - @samcanavan - for live match updates on game-days.
