Australian Football

Match Report

Saturday night at the Gabba provided an all-too-familiar tale for Kangaroos' fans as North Melbourne gave up a lead of more than 30 points for the fourth time this season to go down by 12 points against Brisbane on Saturday night.

Not for the first time in 2013 the Roos jumped out of the blocks with a five-goal-to-two first quarter to take a 17-point lead into the first break and they then kicked a further five goals straight in the second quarter - to Brisbane's three - to open up a 26-point break at the second change of ends.

After Pearce Hanley kicked the first goal of the second half, goals to Robbie Tarrant and Aaron Black saw North Melbourne establish a 32-point lead at the five-minute mark of the third term.

But such a scenario was a familiar one for both sides. The Kangaroos had already given up leads of this magnitude several times this season and, just weeks earlier at the same venue, Brisbane had chased down a 51-point deficit to knock off Geelong.

So when Ryan Lester and Ash McGrath kicked consecutive goals at the 25- and 29-minute marks of the third quarter to reduce the margin to 21 points, an air of inevitability almost seemed to envelop the Gabba.

Captain Jonathan Brown added another before the three-quarter time siren and the Roos led by just 15 points going into the final term. He followed up with another early in the last quarter and when Daniel Merrett closed the gap to just two points with another goal at the four-minute mark, the Lions' march to victory seemed inevitable.

Sam Mayes gave Brisbane the lead at the seven-minute mark and the Kangaroos' fate seemed sealed. But Drew Petrie and Daniel Wells both goaled for North to restore a seven-point lead and it appeared briefly that the Roos might hang on for a win. Brisbane had other ideas, however, and kicked the next four goals through Josh Green, Dayne Zorko, Brent Staker and Pearce Hanley to establish a 17-point break.

Brent Harvey scored a late major for North but it was too little, too late and the Lions triumphed by 12 points, notching up their sixth win for the season, bringing them level with North.

Best for the Lions were Mayes (three goals and 21 disposals), Hanley (three goals and 15 touches) and Tom Rockliff (28 disposals), while North were well served by Petrie (five goals, 14 possessions), Andrew Swallow (22 disposals) and Brent Harvey (23 touches and a goal).

North's chances of finals action are now virtually gone but if they are to maintain some slim hope they will have to beat Carlton when they take them on this Friday night at Docklands. The Lions' chances are even more slim but they could keep them alive by defeating Melbourne at Marrara next Saturday night.

GOALS
Brisbane: Brown, McGrath, Hanley, Mayes 3; Staker 2; Merrett, Zorko, Lester, Green
North Melbourne: Petrie 5; Tarrant, Black 3; Cunnington 2; Mullett, Bastinac, Wells, Harvey

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Mayes, Hanley, Rich, Rockliff, Staker
North Melbourne: Wells, Harvey, Greenwood, Swallow, Petrie

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Mayes, Hanley, Rockliff, Rich, Adcock, McGrath
North Melbourne: Petrie, Swallow, Gibson, Atley, Harvey, Ziebell

INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
North Melbourne: Hansen (concussion), Tarrant (knee), Swallow (hand), Mullett (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Josh Green replaced James Polkinghorne at three-quarter time
North Melbourne: Brad McKenzie replaced Lachie Hansen (concussion) in the first quarter

UMPIRES: Schmitt, Hay, Mollison