Round five continues at the Gabba for a special evening for one of their greatest servants – it’s the Brisbane Lions taking on Geelong. Join us for live scores and updates from 7.40pm AEST.
Four weeks in and both sides are two wins and two losses – a record many fans weren’t really expecting.
Brisbane fans may have been hoping for an even ledger, but Cats fans though were expecting to be closer to 100 per cent.
Last week both sides were able to get wins against lower-rated opposition, but they were very different victories.
The Brisbane Lions were dominant in the second half against the Gold Coast Suns in the Q-Clash, with Simon Black and Tom Rockliff starring and Jonathan Brown kicking his 500th goal.
Geelong on the other hand were challenged the whole way by Richmond, lost the possession count, lost the contested ball count (a stat they are yet to win in any game in 2012), yet managed to grind out a victory in tricky conditions at home.
Geelong have had a big first fortnight. Since then, they’ve had two teams they should have put away easily, but really struggled.
Is that a sign of the Cats starting to fall back to the pack, or is it the side just playing below par?
It’s a very important night for the home team as one of their greatest servants, Simon Black, becomes the first Brisbane Lions player to reach 300 games.
Black has had a glittering career which includes a Brownlow Medal, a Norm Smith Medal, three All-Australians and three premierships during the golden age in the sunshine state.
But sentimentality will not be how the Lions get over the line. They will need to shutdown midfielders Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood and Joel Corey. They will also need to keep a close eye on James Podsiadly and Tom Hawkins up forward.
And they will need to give Jonathan Brown some space up forward, while relying on some of their midfielders to add some goals throughout the game.
It’s no easy feat. But it’s been shown in the last fortnight that the Cats have been vulnerable. There can be no let up from Brisbane, or they’ll be taken to the sword.
Will we see the Lions make it back-to-back wins and celebrate for Simon Black’s 300th? The action starts at 7.40pm AEST as the Lions host the Cats so make sure you join in on the conversation below.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
FINAL | Geelong 12.7 79 def. Brisbane Lions 4.17 41 So in the end, Simon Black's 300th is a tough one for the Lions as they go down by 38pts. Tom Hawkins bagged 6, Andrew Raines might be in the gun by the tribunal during the week and the Cats have their 3rd win of the season. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon for Richmond vs. West Coast at Etihad Stadium - can't wait for that game. Reckon the Tigers are a sneaky chance (although I've been shouted down numerous times about this during the week by the Twitter-verse) Have a good night.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
FINAL | Geelong 12.7 79 def. Brisbane Lions 4.17 41 Goalscorers BL: Simon Black 1, Jonathan Brown 1, Ashley McGrath 1, Tom Rockliff 1 Geel: Tom Hawkins 6, Paul Chapman 2, Joel Corey 1, Mitch Duncan 1, Steven Motlop 1, Joel Selwood 1 Player Stats Tom Rockliff (BL) 18 kicks, 14 handballs, 16 contested possessions, 6 tackles, 5 clearances, 6 inside 50's (Disposal Efficiency 41%) Paul Chapman (Geel) 21 kicks, 8 handballs, 2 goals Allen Christensen (Geel) 15 kicks, 14 handballs, 15 contested possessions, 7 tackles (Disposal Efficiency 48%) Team Stats Disposals: Geel 342-323; Disposal Efficiency: Geel 67%-57%; Contested Possessions: BL 185-161; Tackles: BL 108-92; Inside 50's: BL 54-46; Tackles Inside 50: BL 25-4
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
FINAL | Geelong 12.7 79 def. Brisbane Lions 4.17 41 A guard of honour from both teams to send off Simon Black in his milestone game - just repeating, first VFL/AFL player to have played 300 games, win a premiership, Brownlow Medal and Norm Smith Medal. Amazing career.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
FINAL | Geelong 12.7 79 def. Brisbane Lions 4.17 41 That's it - all over. The Cats get the win in really tough conditions tonight. A bag from Tom Hawkins booting 6, while Paul Chapman, Allen Christensen and Taylor Hunt were very important tonight. It's a shame that Simon Black's 300th had such diabolical weather - it meant most of the fans stayed away and it meant it wasn't much of a spectacle. The win massive for Geelong. Despite losing the Contested Possession count again (5 from 5), they've been able to get their 3rd win of the season and have a cushy match next week against Melbourne (but then it's Adelaide and Collingwood)
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 2:00 left | BL 4.17 41 | Geel 12.6 78 Aaron Cornelius with a long bomb from 60m, wants Jonathan Brown... couldn't take the mark, then rushed through for a behind.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 3:00 left | BL 4.16 40 | Geel 12.6 78 Some junk time scoring from the Lions. Daniel Rich with a kick on goal, but misses. I'll say it again, the Lions played well in the first half, just couldn't convert!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 3:57 left | BL 4.15 39 | Geel 12.6 78 And now the ball's kicked back inside forward 50 for the Lions - Brown! Nice mark, then a 50m penalty. He slams it home.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 4:35 left | BL 3.15 33 | Geel 12.6 78 Not the greatest of night's for Simon Black. But, he's earned himself a free kick inside 50m. His kick is good - and rapturous applause from the crowd (and from the Cats' fans too)
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 7:20 left | BL 2.15 27 | Geel 12.6 78 A couple of shots on goal from the Lions... both going through for behinds. Now Andrew Raines has a kick on goal... his kick touched on the line.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 8:25 left | BL 2.12 24 | Geel 12.6 78 Amongst all that... goal to Tom Rockliff. Lions have their second.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 9:00 left | BL 1.12 18 | Geel 12.6 78 Joel Selwood's been felled behind play... looks like it may have Andrew Raines might have clipped him. Replay shows Selwood with the first swing, then Raines got him on the chin! Joel Selwood is groggy to say the very least! Allen Christensen had gone down too... he's back up and about. Spot fires everywhere
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 10:00 left | BL 1.12 18 | Geel 12.6 78 Jonathan Brown takes a mark 50m out from goal. It's been a dirty night for him. Just 10 disposals.... and then skews that off to the right and out on the full!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 11:33 left | BL 1.12 18 | Geel 12.6 78 Joel Corey with a quick snap from the ball-in... another goal to add to the Cats!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Spot on. And on a night like tonight, it's a huge differential!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 14:40 left | BL 1.12 18 | Geel 11.6 72 Soccered forward for the Lions deep into the 50m... a quick kick from Karnezis, but can't get it. Just the behind
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 16:16 left | BL 1.11 17 | Geel 11.6 72 Tom Hawkins with a strong contested mark deep in the right forward pocket. Snaps on goal - SIX ON THE NIGHT! He's hot to trot so far in 2012.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 17:20 left | BL 1.11 17 | Geel 10.6 66 Tom Rockliff kicks inside 50... Todd Banfield almost takes the mark, then re-gathers, but misses
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 18:20 left | BL 1.10 16 | Geel 10.6 66 UMPIRE REVIEW Patrick Karnezis with a snap on goal... goes through. But, the boundary umpire believes it has been touched. Video review has been completed - inconclusive evidence. Touched ball then, behind.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
The key stat is disposal efficiency times disposals. Geelong have had roughly 180 effective dispoals to 112. Thats why they are so far ahead ...
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 18:30 left | BL 1.9 15 | Geel 10.6 66 Substitution: Mathew Stokes off for Geelong, Billie Smedts is on.