The Brisbane Lions have scored their third win of the year, recording a remarkable upset over the Essendon Bombers.
From the opening bounce to the final ten minutes, this game was on the Bombers’ terms.
A pair of goals to start the game seemed to herald an ugly loss, but the Lions benefitted from some sloppy Bombers play and their own pluck and panache to keep them at bay, as well as keep the scoreboard ticking over at their own end, Eric Hipwood constantly dangerous in attack and Dayne Zorko dynamic in midfield.
But it was the Bombers’ game, no question. They dominated in midfield, despite losing the clearances and the contested possessions, they dominated the inside 50s, they dominated everywhere except the scoreboard.
There, they continually butchered chances, frittering away attacking options with poor passing and even worse kicking for goal. In a season this even, you can’t afford to spurn your chances.
The Lions’ chances seemed to come from their own defensive 50, with the Bombers perhaps falling into the trap of playing the 18th-placed side, reluctant to run hard the other way and even more reluctant to play the sort of hard, uncompromising footy the Lions were determined to play.
The Bombers rocked up expecting the win would just happen. The Lions showed them how dangerous such thinking can be.
Yet it seemed the dam wall had burst when the Bombers kicked away to a four-goal lead early in the third term, and then again with the first goal of the final term to take the lead out past 20 points.
But the Lions refused to lie down, with Zorko again returning to the All-Australian team after perhaps playing himself out of it last week against GWS.
Alex Witherdern’s dash out of defence was just as good, with the youngster showing polish and class above and beyond his age and, it can be said, some of his more experienced teammates. A Rising Star nomination awaits.
To win the game, the Lions needed to kick six of the last seven goals, after the Bombers had kept them at arm’s length all day.
Enter Hipwood. Enter Rohan Bewick, with three vital second-half goals. Enter Lewis Taylor, taking his game to a level under Chris Fagan that he seemed destined never to reach. Enter Ryan Bastinac, whose kick towards goal seemed destined to be a behind before a lucrative bounce eluded both Essendon defenders as well as the behind posts. The footy gods seemed to be smiling on the Lions late.
Where to now for the Bombers, though? This was meant to be the resumption of their winning ways following last week’s heartbreak against Sydney.
Brendon Goddard was enormous with 31 touches, though the fact that just one of them came when the heat was on in the final term must be noted.
Ditto Jobe Watson and Dyson Heppell, good all day but quiet when the game had to be won.
But that’s footy this year. You can’t take your foot off the pedal for a second. If this isn’t the greatest season of all time, I don’t know what is.
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