BRISBANE has extended its domination of Kuwarna, claiming its seventh win in a row against Matthew Clarke's side after Taylor Smith kicked the matchwinner in a titanic struggle at Norwood Oval on Sunday.
Brisbane trailed by 17 points at three-quarter time, but with the aid of a handy breeze, kicked the only three goals of the last quarter to break Crows' hearts with a 6.5 (41) to 6.2 (38) win.
The result takes the Lions' lead in the head-to-head battle to 11-3, and evens their season ledger at two wins and two losses.
Smith was given the opportunity to kick her second goal of the game from close range with just over a minute remaining in the tense contest when Teah Charlton was whistled for a down-the-ground free kick for a push in the back.
It was a classic struggle between the two competition heavyweights, with Ally Anderson and Jade Ellenger leading the charge for Brisbane and Ebony Marinoff and Chelsea Randall starring for the home side.
Kuwarna started in dominant fashion, leading the inside 50 count 7-1, with Randall following Eloise Jones' electric opener with a set shot goal after earning a holding the ball free kick with her ferocious attack on the ball carrier.
The first quarter inside 50s ended 10-7 in Kuwarna's favour as the visitors worked into the contest, but their first goal didn't come until after the quarter-time siren when Smith converted after marking strongly in the dying seconds.
Brisbane started the second term in much the same way Kuwarna had the first, ratcheting up the pressure to go inside 50 six times before the Crows ventured inside their attacking arc for the first time in the quarter.
Charlotte Mullins slotted a brilliant snap on the run three minutes into the second to give Brisbane the lead for the first time, but Kuwarna answered the challenge.
Randall's second major came after a typically strong overhead mark on a hard lead and Stevie-Lee Thompson set up her side's five-point half-time lead from close range after a moment of ill-discipline from a frustrated Dakota Davidson gave away a 50m penalty.
The Crows poured on the pressure after the restart, but couldn't make their territory dominance count on the scoreboard until Brooke Boileau got on the end of a superb piece of team play.
Danielle Ponter showed great poise to pull her kick to Randall rather than blaze away inside 50 and the former skipper found Boileau with her precise pass, the youngster mobbed by teammates after she played on and kicked her first AFLW goal.
The Lions added just one point to their half-time score in a tense third quarter, Caitlin Gould's free kick from the top of the goalsquare setting up her side's 17-point lead at the last break.
Oh EJ, no way!
We should be used to Jones doing the extraordinary on a footy field by now, but 'EJ' drew rapturous applause from the adoring home fans with an opening goal for the ages. After deftly trapping the ball with her foot out close to the boundary, Jones gathered and set sail with a stunning right foot snap that brought the house down and will surely be a contender for the NAB AFLW Goal of the Year.
How about Hodder?
Courtney Hodder's impressive game sense was on display in the second quarter when a Kuwarna rushed behind wasn't quite what it seemed at first glance. Hodder immediately signalled out on the full and the umpire agreed Chelsea Biddell had toe-poked the ball into the point post in the traffic. Lined up on the toughest of angles, Hodder slotted a brilliant goal. She followed it up as the Lions made their move in the final term, with her goal from a free kick - earned from a superb tackle - a minute into the frantic last quarter setting the stage for the grandstand finish.
Up next
Kuwarna travels to take on Hawthorn at Kinetic Stadium next Sunday at 3.05pm AEST while the Lions host North Melbourne at Brighton Homes Arena, also on Sunday at 3:05pm AEST.
KUWARNA 2.0 4.1 6.2 6.2 (38)
BRISBANE 1.0. 3.2 3.3 6.5 (41)
GOALS
Kuwarna: Randall 2, Thompson, Jones, Gould, Boileau
Brisbane: Hodder 2, Mullins 2, Smith 2
BEST
Kuwarna: Marinoff, Randall, G.Kelly, Newman, Gould, Hatchard
Brisbane: Anderson, Conway, Ellenger, Mullins, Hodder, O'Dwyer
INJURIES
Kuwarna: Nil
Brisbane: Nil
Crowd: TBC at Norwood Oval