The Brisbane Lions host Collingwood tonight as they attempt to bounce back from a disappointing away loss to Essendon last week. Join us at 7.40pm AEST for live score updates and minute-by-minute commentary.
Collingwood is starting to gather some momentum after a sluggish start to the season and sit just outside the top eight on percentage.
They welcome back Alan Didak for his first game this season while Alex Fasolo and Ben Johnson are out injured.
Brisbane is desperate to show a more competitive performance at home as another wasted season beckons.
They have some injury outs with Jed Adcock and Ben Hudson, who has been a good contributor since transferring to the Lions from the Western Bulldogs.
With Hudson out, the ruck load will fall to Billy Longer, and that’s a big responsibility for the 19-year-old.
Alongside Longer will be Simon Black and Tom Rockliff, who will be trying to break even against one of the best midfields in the competition.
Jonathon Brown is not dominating centre half forward in the manner that he once did, but Collingwood skipper Nick Maxwell will still have his hands full.
At the other end, Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes will be licking their lips at coming up against a fairly young Lions defence.
The Lions have a very good record against the pies at the Gabba and hopefully they can enter the game with a bit of confidence and play the game in a positive frame of mind.
On the other hand, one gets the feeling that new coach, Nathan Buckley, is starting to work out his preferred defensive structures, with the pies ready to flex some muscle and punish any sloppiness on the part of the Brisbane.
Brisbane are one of only two sides who have not gone coast to coast from a kick out this season – do not expect that statistic to change tonight.
Collingwood has the running power through the middle and the targets up forward, and should cruise to a 30 point win.
Will Nathan Buckley get the first one-up over old foe Michael Voss? Find out from 7.40pm AEST as we cover the action with live scores and commentary and if you’re watching, give us your thoughts in the space below.
Dingo
Guest
Very funny. I couldn't help but see the obvious resemblance between Hitlers "rants" and some of the paranoid rants posted on this site by some of the regular naysayers. I hope they see that themselves. As for the poor Lions, where to start............
The Cattery
Roar Guru
that's it for me tonight, thanks for joining me and I hope all the mums out there have a great Mothers' Day tomorrow
The Cattery
Roar Guru
FT Brisbane 8.10 (58) Collingwood 17.14 (116) The pies have doubled the Lions score here with a 58 point win. They pretty much controlled the game from early on but in each of the first and second quarters, the Lions were able to end them with some momentum. At one point, with Raines moving from Pendlebury to Swan to keep him quiet, the Lions got back to within about 4 goals and were winning plenty of clearances, but then two things happened: 1. Swan was moved to fwd pocket, Raines went with him, and in a 5 minute period, Swan led and marked three times for two goals; and 2. Pendlebury got back into the game, and from then on, it was all over for the Lions. IN the end, there were just too many quality midfielders to shut down: Swan, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, even Beams ended up with 30 disposals. Redden did well for teh Lions with 28 disposals and 8 tackles.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 1 min to go Brisbane 8.10 Collingwood 17.14 Yagmoor puts it in long, and goldsack rises above the pack to take the clean mark, from 20m, gets it
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 1 min to go Brisbane 8.10 Collingwood 16.14 Cloke marks, around 50m, and again he can't make the distance, so Cloke just hasn't been timing them tonight, he'd normally make that sort of distance with ease
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 3 min to go Brisbane 8.10 Collingwood 16.14 Brown on lead, takes the mark, out wide, 40m, bit of an angle, just misses
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 4 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 16.14 pies lead back out to over 7 goals, probably biggest lead of the day official attendance: 27+k
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 5 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 16.14 Keefe on lead, takes it, quick hands to Goldsack, and he nails it from 50m
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 6 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 15.14 Lions nearly broke through from centre bounce, perhpas one handball too much, didn't hit it's target, no clean take, let the pies in
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 6 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 15.14 straight off throw in, quick hands to Wood, snaps, goals!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 7 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 14.14 another big collision, this one involves Brown, didn't see who he ran into, but he got up Cloke now with a grab in the pocket, on the correct side for his left foot, but it's across the face of goal, and over for a throw in
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 8 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 14.14 pies well on top now, Lions looking like they're ready for the showers Didak spins around, Cloke can't hold it, pack forms on 50m arc
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 11 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 14.14 ball ends up in Pendlebury's hands, didn't expect, it opens up for him, and he has a shot from 52m, just wide
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 11 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 14.12 Head collision here, Beams low at 50/50 ball, and got collected from the other side, but it's unclear what the Lions player could have done because he was chasing the bouncing ball Swan spots up Sidebottom, and this should just about be the sealer, 35m dead in front, dead straight, and that's the game
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 12 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 13.12 Karzenis took a mark very close to the boundary line, may even have been over, nearly tripped over the fence, but he was paid it, then he gives away the deliberate over the line free, but he was caught in a nest of pies players
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 14 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 13.12 Cloke receives the free for down field, he's out wide, just inside 50m, across face, no score, Pendlebury drops it, now out for throw in, outer side, near 50m arc,
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 14 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 13.12 Pendlebury with the half-clearance from middle, Shaw with strong defensive mark, Goldsack on outer wing, but puts it out on full
The Cattery
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Q4 15 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 13.12 O'Brien burst through the middle, and this time he goes long into fwd 50, and Wellingham takes a good contested mark, 30m, gets it, and pies keep that 5 goal buffer
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 17 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 12.12 A few stoppages in Lions fwd 50, pies eventually get it out, Swan on the wing, in board to Beams, O'brien, still mucking around in the centre
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 18 min to go Brisbane 8.9 Collingwood 12.12 Cloke has given the 50m penalty here, takes Maguire to the wing, ball over the boundary, Lions fwd pocket