Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast Suns highlights: AFL live scores, blog

Match result:

A slow-starting Brisbane Lions have defeated a gallant but ultimately disappointing Gold Coast Suns side by 58 points at the Gabba on Saturday afternoon.

» Click here to read the full match report

Final score
Brisbane Lions 22.10.142
Gold Coast Suns 12.12.84

Match preview:

The rapidly improving Brisbane Lions host a Gold Coast Suns side in disarray, as the year’s second Queensland derby heats up Brisbane on a Saturday afternoon. Join us on The Roar for live scores and a blog from 4:35pm AEST.

Well, hasn’t it been an intriguing week for the Gold Coast Suns. Sitting on just six wins (and thirteen losses) for the season so far, the struggling Suns made the emphatic move to sack coach Rodney Eade earlier in the week, and today’s match is their first in life after Eade.

Long time assistant Dean Solomon is taking the reigns, and has been thrust straight into facing an opponent that is punching above its weight (and ladder position): the Brisbane Lions.

The Lions may be sitting on a worse win-loss ratio than the Suns (four wins, fifteen losses) but they head into today’s match as favourites – a position that, for so long, has been unusual for Lions fans, but is slowly but surely becoming a more regular tag attached to this young side.

The teams are both coming off losses: the Suns heading back from Western Australia after losing to Fremantle by 23 points, and the Lions coming back after pushing the reigning premiers for three quarters but giving up a late lead to lose by 14 points.

The Lions will be buoyed by their close match, but Gold Coast will likely be putting their past performances behind them to start a clean slate, you’d have to presume.

Speaking of performances the Suns would like to forget about, the Lions round one victory against them would surely be among them.

The Lions stunned the Suns, booting seven goals in an inspiring first quarter and managing to keep the Suns at bay to record a two-point victory.

If the Lions manage something similar early in the game today, the onus will very truly be on the Suns to see what they could produce in terms of a come-back today.

Gold Coast’s injury troubles have been well documented this season (and for the past few years) and it’s no different today.

Tom Lynch and Gary Ablett are out, along with Jarrad Grant and Mitch Hallahan; the former duo with injuries, the latter have simply been omitted.

To be fair, the Gold Coast’s ins are of a decent quality: Jarryd Lyons, youngster Ben Ainsworth, David Swallow and Callum Ah Chee all join the team.

The Lions have lost two youngsters: Alex Witherden is out with a hamstring ailment, while Josh Schache has been dropped.

In their place, Sam Mayes and Michael Close join the 22.

Prediction
While there appears to be phenomena during which teams that sack coaches play better in their immediate next matches, I don’t believe that will emerge today. The Lions have never had a better chance to beat their Queensland counterparts, and I can’t foresee them letting that chance go today. They’ll win, probably comfortably. I’ll suggest by four goals and change.

Brisbane Lions by 26 points.