A SIX-goal haul by Eric Hipwood has lifted Brisbane to their third win of the season and second on the ladder after a thrilling 17-point win over Port Adelaide.
The Lions tall kicked five goals in the first half and then one of three scored by Brisbane in the last four minutes as the hosts charged home for a 16.11 (107) to 13.12 (90) win at the Gabba.
Hipwood’s haul overshadowed a brilliant effort by Port Adelaide youngster Connor Rozee, with the first-year player kicking five goals in just his third AFL match.
Port looked like they had done enough to beat Brisbane late in the fourth quarter before Oscar McInerney took a brave contested mark and kicked true to put the Lions three points up with less than four minutes to play.
From there it was one way traffic, Hipwood kicking his sixth after a downfield free-kick for a high shot on Mitch Robinson before Charlie Cameron kicked his first goal of the night to ice the win.
Daniel McStay, Cam Rayner and Hugh McCluggage all booted two goals each for the Lions while Geelong recruit Lincoln McCarthy provided the moment of magic for the home team with a sensational mark on the shoulders of Power defender Dan Houston in the third quarter.
Lachie Neale ended with 43 disposals and a fourth-quarter goal while Josh Wilson ended the game with 16 marks.
The Power had multiple heroes as well with Rozee’s five-goal effort coming with 21 disposals and seven marks, including a stunning effort in the fourth-quarter to set up his final goal.
Paddy Ryder had three goals for the visitors while Robbie Gray and Travis Boak kicked two each.
Port’s wastefulness in front of goal in the second term, when they kicked 2.7 and missed several kickable opportunities proved pivotal.
Brisbane had started the match like a bull at a gate, racing to a four-goal advantage before Rozee’s first of the night with the hosts holding a 12-point lead at the first turn.
But the Power missed easy chances to Gray, Justin Westhoff, Brad Ebert and Houston – with Ebert’s miss particularly galling after a clever tap by Gray left him free to run in on goal but he attempted a banana kick which sailed wide left.
Those misses proved costly when Hipwood kicked two goals at the end of the quarter to become the first Lion since Daniel Merrett in 2012 with five goals before halftime as the home team extended their lead to 13 at the main break.
The Power threatened to overrun the Lions throughout the third and fourth quarters but in the end, Chris Fagan’s men stormed home to continue their excellent start to 2019.
Brisbane travel to the MCG next weekend to play Essendon while Port face an ailing Richmond at the Adelaide Oval.
© AAP 2019
BRISBANE LIONS 5.2 8.4 11.6 16.11 (107)
PORT ADELAIDE 3.2 5.9 9.11 13.12 (90)
Goals: Brisbane Lions: E Hipwood 6 C Rayner 2 D McStay 2 H McCluggage 2 C Cameron L McCarthy L Neale O McInerney. Port Adelaide: C Rozee 5 P Ryder 3 R Gray 2 T Boak 2 O Wines.
Best: Brisbane Lions: E Hipwood J Walker M Robinson L Neale D Zorko S Martin. Port Adelaide: C Rozee T Boak S Powell-Pepper P Ryder R Gray Z Butters.
Umpires: Ray Chamberlain, Nicholas Foot, Andre Gianfagna.
Official Crowd: 19,958 at Gabba.
