Brisbane Lions VFL powered to their second win of the season in emphatic fashion, defeating Tasmania by 61 points at Brighton Homes Arena in Round 14 of Smithy’s VFL.
Curtis McCarthy led the way in attack with five goals, while Sam Marshall produced a standout all-round performance with 32 disposals and a goal in the 21.13 (139) to 11.12 (78) victory.
The Friday morning clash carried a strong sense of occasion, with the Lions and Devils meeting for the first time at Springfield in front of a crowd that included plenty of Tasmanian support.
There was almost more green than maroon in the crowd, including former Australian and Tasmanian cricket captain Tim Paine, Devils director and three-time Lions premiershipplayer Alastair Lynch, and Channel 7 broadcaster Steve Titmus, but it was Brisbane who seized control early and led from start to finish.
Coming into the contest with just one win for the season, Brisbane faced a Devils side sitting fourth on the ladder, making the fast start all the more impressive.
The inclusions of Reece Torrent, Henry Smith, Luke Beecken and Shadeau Brain gave the Lions one of their strongest line-ups, with 11 AFL-listed players taking the field.
First quarter
Returning from a foot injury, 202cm ruck Henry Smith made his presence felt immediately,winning early contests and helping send the Lions forward from the opening bounce.
Luke Beecken converted inside the opening minute to give Brisbane the perfect start, before McCarthy added another as the Lions quickly settled into their attacking rhythm.
Tasmanian-born midfielder Sam Tilley looked determined to make his mark against the Devils, winning possession through the middle and creating repeat drive for Brisbane, whileMarshall had a similar impact around the contest.
Fergus McFadyen soon joined the goalkickers, before Tilley capped his influential start with a goal of his own and almost added a second within the minute.
The Lions continued to pile on the pressure late in the quarter, with McFadyen and McCarthy both kicking their second goals to reward Brisbane’s dominance.
Quarter-time: Brisbane 6.4 (40) to Tasmania 1.2 (8)
Second quarter
Brisbane picked up where it left off after the first change, with Curtin goaling early as light drizzle swept across Springfield and temperatures hovered around 15 degrees in conditions more familiar to Tasmania than Queensland.
The Devils responded with the next two goals, narrowing the margin and bringing renewed energy to the contest as the lights came on before midday to cut through the gloomy conditions.
Curtin steadied the Lions with his second goal of the quarter to push the lead back to 29 points, before Tilley continued his strong first half with his second major to extend the advantage to 36.
Tasmania again refused to go away, kicking two late goals to reduce the margin to 22 points before McCarthy answered with his third goal of the match, restoring a 28-point buffer and giving Brisbane a timely lift before the main break.
Marshall was a standout across the opening half, collecting 15 disposals and helping drive Brisbane’s midfield control.
Half-time: Brisbane 10.5 (65) to Tasmania 5.7 (37)
Third quarter
The third term opened with five minutes of back-and-forth football before the Lions broke through for the first major of the quarter.
Irish import Ben Murphy provided the moment, kicking his first goal for the Lions to extend Brisbane’s advantage and continue the home side’s momentum.
Brisbane’s defence initially held firm under repeated inside-50 pressure, but the Devils eventually broke through with three consecutive goals to reduce the margin to 15 points and put the contest back in the balance.
The Lions responded, piling on four majors of their own to wrestle back control of the quarter.
McCarthy kicked his fourth, Ethan Duke followed with another, and McCarthy then added his fifth to restore Brisbane’s ascendancy.
Marshall capped the surge with a goal from 50 metres, pushing the lead out to 42 points and moving to 24 disposals before a late Devils goal gave Brisbane a 38 point lead at three-quarter time.
Three-quarter-time: Brisbane 15.11 (101) to Tasmania 9.9 (63)
Fourth quarter
The Lions carried their momentum into the final term, producing a six-goal-to-two final quarter to put the result beyond doubt.
Curtin opened the last-quarter burst with his third goal of the match, before Smith added his name to the goalkickers list and Brisbane pushed the margin to 51 points, their biggest lead of the day to that point.
Curtin soon followed with his fourth, before Tasmania responded with back-to-back goals.Brisbane quickly steadied, however, ensuring the Devils could not build any late momentum.
Fergus McFadyen produced a classy finish from the boundary for his third goal, before Harrison Bridge brought the Lions faithful to their feet with another boundary-line stunner, adding further polish to Brisbane’s dominant final term.
McFadyen capped the performance with his fourth major, extending the lead to 61 points as the Lions powered home to secure a much-needed second win of the season.
Final score
Brisbane Lions 21.13 (139) defeated Tasmania Devils 11.12 (78)
Best: Sam Marshall, Luke Beecken, Sam Tilley, Curtis McCarthy, Henry Smith, ShadeauBrain
Goals: Curtis McCarthy (5), Cody Curtin (4), Fergus McFadyen (4), Sam Tilley (2), Luke Beecken, Henry Smith, Ethan Duke, Ben Murphy, Sam Marshall, Harrison Bridge
Tasmania
Goals: J Menzie (5), H Dixon, H Elmer, M Iverach, C Mitchell, B Norton, W Splan
