On a night that Brisbane have dominated, a loss of concentration from Charlie Cameron could prove costly.
He was pinged for a sling tackle on Demon defender Jake Lever during the first quarter in an action that you would expect to be looked at by the MRO.
Lever had the ball in one hand and as he was brought down by Cameron his head hit the ground. But he did appear to have his other arm free to cushion the impact, and he was quickly up on his feet to take the kick.
While the AFL frowns on the pick-up and dump action, this might be enough to clear Cameron.
But, he would have avoided all risk had he not slung Lever to the ground in the first place.
Whichever way you look at it, this is a mauling.
The Lions lead disposals 266 to 203. They lead inside 50s 46 to 26. They led clearances 36-21. They lead marks 90-44. They lead tackles 67 to 43.
It is as ugly as it can get for Melbourne.
If ever a passage of play highlights that the Demons are half-asleep, that was it.
Lions midfielder Hugh McCluggage was charging towards goal and under pressure managed a mongrel kick along the ground that should have been mopped up by the Demons’ defence. It would have been in the past two weeks.
Instead, McCluggage was allowed to continue running, unchecked, and soccered the ball off the ground, in the goal square, to bring up the Lions’ ninth of the night.
Max Gawn, Christian Petracca, Jack Viney and Clayton Oliver need to fire up the Demons soon, or it is goodnight.
Lions by 38 points
Lions youngster Kai Lohmann has made his first game at the MCG a night to remember.
Lohmann kicks Brisbane’s eighth goal of the night, and repel an early third-quarter challenge by Melbourne.
Lions by 32 points
That’s the start Melbourne were after: an early third-quarter goal.
The Demons get the ball into Christian Petracca’s hands. He passes to Bayley Fritsch who then finds Kade Chandler on his own.
The set-shot goal brings the Demons back within 24 points.
On a night that Brisbane have dominated, a loss of concentration from Charlie Cameron could prove costly.
He was pinged for a sling tackle on Demon defender Jake Lever during the first quarter in an action that you would expect to be looked at by the MRO.
Lever had the ball in one hand and as he was brought down by Cameron his head hit the ground. But he did appear to have his other arm free to cushion the impact, and he was quickly up on his feet to take the kick.
While the AFL frowns on the pick-up and dump action, this might be enough to clear Cameron.
But, he would have avoided all risk had he not slung Lever to the ground in the first place.
The Demons can’t buy a goal. They have not kicked a major since halfway through the first quarter.
They managed a couple of behinds within the last two minutes of the second quarter, but that’s not going to drag them back into this contest.
Melbourne looks flat. The Lions, on the other hand, have dominated the second quarter and have jumped out to a five-goal lead.
But, don’t go away, Demons fans. The Lions were in a commanding position against Carlton and Fremantle this year and lost both.
Lions by 30 points at half-time
This is getting ugly for the Demons. Charlie Cameron fires home from 20m straight in front to send the Lions out to a 31-point lead. That’s five straight goals to Brisbane.
Melbourne just can’t get their hands on the ball.
At the eight-minute mark of the second term, the Lions led the uncontested mark count 30-9.
It looks like the Herculean effort to win back-to-back games in Adelaide has taken a big toll on the Demons.
The Demons have tried to put the brakes on the Lions before the game starts slipping away.
But they are failing dismally. The Lions have kicked the first two of the second quarter, and the last four of the game.
This time Hugh McCluggage has been awarded a free-kick in the pocket and kicked truly.
Lions by 26 points, 10 minutes remaining in second quarter
QT: Well, it’s exactly what you’d want if you’re a Brisbane fan: their two talls, Eric Hipwood and Joe Daniher, are firing.
Lions often live and die by these two, and right now, they are living. Hipwood’s first goal, a set shot from 45 metres out, was a clear confidence builder, with almost the whole team getting around him like he was a debutant.
The second time he hit the scoreboard, he outsmarted Steven May to take a good grab close to the big sticks. Clean, efficient scoring.
For Daniher, it was first a miss from a set shot (to some cheers from the Demon army) and then a gimme goal, after May gave after a 50 metre penalty. His second goal, however, is what should scare Dees fans. It had shades of this game potentially turning into a Joe (and Hipwood) show.
It’s been a good tussle so far between these two sides, with the pressure dial turned right up. The Lions have had 29 tackles to 23 – Jaspa Fletcher, Lachie Neale and Max Gawn all lead the count with three each.
A big difference, however, is the territory battle, with the Lions +9 in inside 50s.
Cam Rayner has been wheeling around at will, with 12 possessions, seven of those contested, and six clearances. The Demons are going to have to work out what to do to quell his influence. In comparison, Clayton Oliver has had just two disposals so far.
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