Lions roar, shrug Suns to book Magpies MCG date

Gold Coast have been roused from their AFL finals dream and the Brisbane Lions’ premiership defence has sprung back to life in a 53-point semi-final Gabba rampage.

The Lions will play Collingwood in an MCG preliminary final on Saturday after their injury-hit side showed depth of class in a 14.16 (100) to 6.11 (47) QClash clinic.

Last year’s Norm Smith Medallist Will Ashcroft dominated, Josh Dunkley laid a finals-record 18 tackles, Hugh McCluggage - after 14 touches in a sobering loss to Geelong last week - had 33 and 10 clearances, while Cam Rayner shrugged an AFL record eight tackles.

In a historic finals battle between Queensland’s AFL “siblings”, it was the big brother, after taking some early blows, who got his way on Saturday night.

The loss ended the Suns’ first finals foray - in the club’s 15th season - while the Lions are into a fourth straight preliminary final and two wins from back-to-back flags.

The Suns were hot early, Ben King getting plenty of ball and Noah Anderson (26 disposals) kicking what’s becoming a trademark goal streaking away from the centre circle.

Brisbane, missing a host of talent headlined by Lachie Neale (calf), went goal-for-goal though.

Dayne Zorko’s ball movement, the welcome pressure of a busy Charlie Cameron and a bulldozing Rayner all created opportunities.

King had two early majors before star fullback Harris Andrews took over duties from Darcy Gardiner and applied the clamps.

Anderson and Matt Rowell were ominous early, but the Lions had solutions to nullify the All Australian pair.

Ashcroft (28 touches) was generally incisive and added two opportunistic goals, Dunkley (20 disposals) waged war with Rowell (23 touches, eight clearances, one goal), and McCluggage collected 21 first-half disposals.

At the other end, the Suns began to struggle to find options.

And it was the Lions’ defence that needed thanking when Kai Lohmann (three goals) played on to kick his first after another backline turnover.

A 50-metre penalty proved costly late in the half, Zac Bailey (three goals) enjoying surprising time and space to crumb and kick the Lions 25-points clear at the main break.

Lohmann, sporting a fresh buzz cut, then rubbed his scalp after nailing another to begin the half.

Suns game-breaker Bailey Humphrey missed after choosing to snap a set shot from in front, and Bailey twisted the knife at the other end with a leaping mark and goal.

Teenage rookie forward Ty Gallop then kicked his first AFL goal to push the lead beyond 40 points and ice the game with minutes still to play before the final break.

The loss closed the career of retiring foundation Sun and inaugural No.1 pick David Swallow, who earned a recall for last week’s historic final and kicked the decisive score in their one-point defeat of Fremantle.