So, I have a confession to make.
I cocked up.
So sure was I that my name was down for reviewing the Dogs and Dees this week, I was 2000 words deep into my review when something strange happened – a review of that game showed up in my inbox. I kind of looked at it, wondered what had happened, and who I could blame… and then it dawned on me.
I screwed up – I could only blame myself.
And as I read through Ben Harrower’s report from that game, I understood what it meant for me and my plans for Sunday evening. There was no putting a movie on and sitting back on the couch. There was no preparation for the upcoming work week, and there was not to be an early night in bed to give me the respite I so badly need.
Nope, I was headed back to the PC to punch out three thousand words on a game that contained a record-breaking quarter from one of the teams that many had written off after their loss to the Eagles last week.
And I had to explore how a team like the back-to-back champs could fall away so suddenly, and what it means to their chances going forward.
In a game many thought of as a foregone conclusion, the GWS Giants demonstrated some things that had been lacking at points in their 2026 season – heart, desire, and a killer instinct that tore the life from the bodies of the Brisbane Lions in one 30-odd minute display of powerful football.
Brisbane had no answers – they didn’t even seem to understand the questions – as the Giants ran over, around, and through them, kicking an AFL-record 14.2 for the third quarter.
I have not seen a team treat the Lions like that. I have not seen this Brisbane team lay down and take it like that in a long while, either.
Is this a turning point in both clubs’ seasons? Or was this just an anomaly of epic proportions?
Time to explore.
Talent has never been an issue for the Giants, but this season has tested their depth like perhaps no season for the past decade. Injuries to crucial players – Tom Green, Josh Kelly, Sam Taylor – and niggles forcing others to the sidelines – Jesse Hogan, Leek Aleer, Cody Angove – have made them look… more ordinary than usual.
And when the loss to the Eagles occurred, well, what were people supposed to think?
Given that, the Brisbane Lions would have been wise to be very wary heading into this contest against the Giants. Whilst they say no animal is as dangerous as a wounded one.
The same applied to Giants, apparently. When they lost Lachie Whitfield before the game and Jack Buckley in the early going, it seemed as though things were falling into place for the reigning premiers. The GWS wound got a bit wider, the bleeding a little heavier.
The first half unfolded as we may have expected. The Giants were up and about, wanting to offer a big response following their Round Ten loss, and the reigning premiers were hanging with them. It was as though Brisbane were saying “give us your best… we can take it.”
And they were taking it.
The Giants were cracking in, and the Lions sat just six points behind them at the main break. I wonder what was said at halftime in both change rooms, because if there was anything positive about the way the Lions were playing in the first half, it was quickly erased just minutes after the game recommenced.
Yes, the Lions had taken everything that GWS had thrown at them in the first half, but it wasn’t their best. It wasn’t even close to it. What followed in that third quarter was a beating of proportions unseen in any third quarter, let alone a third quarter against a team eyeing off a three-peat.
With 14.2, the Giants outscored Brisbane by a mammoth 83 points in just half an hour of football. So dominant were they, that their scoring rampage actually caused the following game to be joined in progress because their allotted time ran over.
They treated Brisbane like they were a second-class team. They ran rings around them. You often hear the saying a particular team or player “wanted it more”. This quarter of football embodied that statement. Every loose ball, every contest, every opportunity to put their head over the footy first, GWS were miles in front of their opponents, and the Lions looked shellshocked.
So, my question to you, dear reader, is as follows – does this display say more about GWS, or the Lions? I ask, because I am genuinely stuck on this question. Usually, I would have a series of questions lined up to populate the review, but given my poor planning, that was obviously out the window. And so, I settle on this one – who did this quarter of football say more about? It’ll be the basis of the next couple of sections, as we dive deep into what it meant for each team.
GWS
This was the spark that will hopefully light the fuse in 2026 for this team. In one fell swoop, the Giants went from laughingstock (nobody expected them to fall to West Coast) to a team to be feared again.
They simply beat up on the Lions, running harder, pushing past them, and crashing into them at every opportunity, as their opponents looked timid.
Toby Greene kicked four for the quarter, Jake Stringer three, whilst Aaron Cadman, Phoenix Gothard, and Brent Daniels each kicked two, as their forward line demolished the Brisbane defence.
The midfield battle was non-existent, with Finn Callaghan dominating with a great inside/outside combination, as he ran so hard it made it appear as though the Brisbane mids were standing still.
Because they often were. This is something I’ll get to later on.
But for me, it was some of the lesser lights, and I use that term in the nicest possible way. Players like Phoenix Gothard, who was everywhere across half forward. Toby McMullin had beautifully clean hands – he’d make George Costanza jealous. Toby Bedford was combative and brilliant all at once, and on the wing, Harvey Thomas continued to impress with his run and carry.
It was as though some of these blokes channelled the missing GWS stars and staked their claim as the next group that will lead this team to success.
And that still wasn’t all.
BACK-TO-BACK
You guys know I love my stats, and not just any stats. I like stat combinations that tell a story, and this one continued to tell a story that has been a ripper in 2026. That story belongs to Clayton Oliver.
In consecutive weeks, Clarrie has registered 30+ disposals, 20+ contested possessions, and 10+ clearances. It has been done just four times this season, and all four have occurred in the last fortnight.
That Oliver has two on the trot speaks volumes about where he is at with his footy – he is edging ever so close to being the player he was at Melbourne, when he was racking up best and fairest awards like they were pamphlets from his letterbox.
He finished with 37 disposals, 23 contested possessions, and 11 clearances. The funny thing was, he was actually subdued when the Giants made their massive run. At least, as subdued as a bloke can be when he picks up seven touches for the quarter, I suppose.
His direct matchup was no slouch – he played across from Lachie Neale – but in the tight first half, Oliver was the one who kept the Giants ticking over. His quick hands, and ability to win the footy in close, gave GWS first use and a reliable option at stoppages.
THE DARK HORSE
I had someone tell me that Oliver would walk in the 2026 Kevin Sheedy Medal, and they may be right, but at the moment, I would not mind having a few bucks on Jayden Laverde finishing somewhere near the top, as well.
With Jack Buckley going down early in the game, Laverde’s importance only grew, and with 11 intercepts and seven one-percenters to his name, he continues to play a pivotal role in the Giants defence. He has absolutely defied expectations on him this year.
Be honest – where did you think he would fit in at GWS this season? I will put my hand up and state that he was “injury insurance” in my view, but he has not only got a regular gig thanks to the flurry of injuries at the club, he is playing such good footy that it would take a very brave coach to move him out of the role that he has played so very well.
Ideally, you look at the GWS defence and you say 1- Sam Taylor, 2 – Jack Buckley, and 3 – one of Harry Himmelberg, Jayden Laverde, or Leek Aleer.
Right now, Laverde is head and shoulders above the other two, and with Aleer playing significant time in the ruck when he plays, could we see Harry Himmelberg either shifted to the bench, out of the side, or into a different role, once everyone is back and healthy again? This would have been unfathomable 12 months ago, but Laverde’s commitment to the Giants’ cause may cause a significant rethink.
I’m not sure how GWS do their votes in their Best and Fairest, but if Laverde isn’t top three at this stage, I would be incredibly surprised.
THE 20-20 MAN
I am dipping my lid to Kieren Briggs in this section, who has taken a bit of criticism over the last little while.
Sure, his form has not been spectacular, but like the GWS as a unit, it is how you respond to things like this that matter, and Briggs was huge in this game, taking on Lions’ duo of recruit, Sam Draper, and Darcy Fort, beating them, largely as a lone ruck.
Briggs best occurs when he is committed to the follow up at ground level, and it was both luck and a combination of good that saw him matched up against two bigs that either don’t, or can’t offer the same as him, at ground level.
He picked up his first 20-20 game of the season, with 20 disposals and 26 hit outs, as he gave the Giants continued first use out of the guts. The Lions may have had more hit outs, but Briggs offered the better service, as well as the better second efforts.
THE NEXT BIG THINGS
You know how people get a bit sick of Geelong always finding players to slot into their sysatem, and having this continued success?
How long until people feel the same about GWS?
Yeah, yeah… I know they’re not travelling brilliantly this season, but we can look at injuries and lay at least a little bit of blame there. However, I want to concentrate on something else in this section – the emerging talent that will prop up this team in the coming years.
I speak of players like Joe Fonti, Aaron Cadman, Toby McMullin, Phoenix Gothard, and Harvey Thomas.
All of them are 22-and-under, and all of them have massive futures. Then you look at some who weren’t in this team – Cody Angove, Ollie Hannaford, Harry Rowston… they’re no slouches, and they’re coming along nicely. The kid with the lid will be back soon enough, as well, and with blokes like Leek Aleer (24), Finn Callaghan (23), Lachie Ash (24), Max Gruzewski (21), and Nick Madden (22), this Giants team is set for a period of extended contention.
Look at some of those third quarter players in this game – Gothard, McMullin, Cadman, and Thomas, were all brilliant when it mattered. Others may have had bigger quarters, but it was the young blokes who kept pushing, kept harrassing, and kept creating. You get the feeling this was a moment that will be reflected on, not just because of the massive scoreline, but because of what the young blokes provided.
Yes, they sit 12th at the moment. Yes, they have work to do, buit if you can’t see how bright the future is for this mob, I reckon you might need an optometry appointment.
A bad start may just pave the way for the organic improvement every team eventually needs.
Except Geelong, I suppose. Damn them…
BRISBANE
Okay, this might not be pretty, but really, does it deserve to be?
Lions fans can bury their heads in the sand, if they like? They have last year to point to, after all. But to do that would be irresponsible and a little naive. There are issues to be addressed.
Last week, I was reminded that Brisbane were struggling at Round 13 last year, and that anything that happens before that corresponding time in 2026 should not be taken seriously. This came after a loss to Geelong – it is no shame to lose to the Cats, as they are a powerful team, and have been for the better part of 20 years. Yeah, it’s almost been that long.
Anyway, I thought it may have been sage advice, as many opportunists decided to generate headlines last year by declaring Brisbane dead in the water around this time of the 2025 season. It backfired spectacularly.
But, they’re experts, remember… they can say dumb shit and forget it, and hope we forget it, too.
So, I wrote the review of the Lions and Cats, and looked forward to the Lions perhaps righting the ship in this game.
Obviously, that did not occur, and I have not been as disappointed in a Lions outfit since around 2017 as I was in this game. More specifically, I have not been as disappointed in a Lions team as I was in the third quarter.
It wasn’t just that they were smacked around like a two dollar… ball (yes, I am keeping it PG-rated), it was the fact that their resistance was barely noticeable. I mean, was there any, at all?
In basketball, they call the way the Lions worked defensively “matador defence”. You’re kind of in the way, kind of impeding the bull, but you’re really not, and when the bull charges, you daintily step to the side.
Only this time, as they went to step to the side, the bull just ran right over them and left them wondering what the hell just happened.
They were shocked. How could someone do this? To the premiers, of all people? Unheard of!
Inconceivable!!!
There was no run – no chase, and no pressure once the Giants won first possession. As soon as one effort was made, the Lions put the brakes on and looked like they expected someone else to do the hard yards for them.
In short, this group quit on the third quarter. Yep, threw their hands up and conceded meekly.
That is a massive worry.
Will Ashcroft, Hugh McCluggage, Lachie Neale, and even Zac Bailey… all of them were like Joe Ganino in the bedroom, with pathetic one-and-done efforts that left everyone completely dissatisfied.
Where was the pride? Where was the professionalism? Where was the heart?
Wherever those aspects were, they were not on display in this game, and the scary thing was they have been missing rather often this season. It has taken a beat down like this to lay it all bare.
Just last week, I posted footage of Lachie Neale not bothering to chase Oisin Mullin. Some Lions fans shouted me down, questioning what gave me the right to throw shade at Lachie Neale’s defensive work (or lack there of). The answer was easy – I had the footage demonstrating it, but even then, it wasn’t enough, and I was lied to by some, stating that Mullin was 50 metres away from him.
Yeah, when he ran forward and kicked a goal, he was… but they started together. One ran and the other jogged., You don’t need a roadmap to work out which was which.
Do you still feel the same way, guys? Are you still convinced that it is not Lachie Neale on a go slow, and it’s the fault of that naughty old Mongrel Punt guy picking on him? Or are now seeing that it was not a one-off, and that your champion mid is now taking shortcuts?
Are you seeing Zac Bailey staying goal side of his opponent, hoping to get a cheap chance one out the back instead of earning the footy and preventing his opponent from running onto the footy, or assisting a teammate? Are you watching players running at three-quarter pace and pretending they’re doing their best?
Because that’s what I am seeing, and the biggest issue here is that once a team starts with that type of crap, it is hard to stop.
Is Lachie Neale over it?
Does Zac Bailey have a foot out the door?
I know that it’s easy to get carried away on the basis of one terrible quarter, and the Lions would not be the first reigning champion to fall in a hole and have to climb out. Actually, they’d be the first since… last year. However, even when Brisbane were going poorly in 2025, we saw nothing like this. Nothing remotely close.
If you choose to keep the blinkers on after this performance, so be it. You know your club, you know what they’re about, and you’re trusting that Uncle Fages has a trick or two up his sleeve to arrest these issues. But if you’re looking at trends and indicators that all is not well, then you’d know that your club needs to make a few changes. There is no issue with shaking things up a little. Will Fages actually do it?
THE WASH UP
The Lions are being challenged. That one quarter removed a little of the aura the club has carried over the last couple of years. To be handled so… easily, so disrespectfully, it has to make other teams sit up and think they’re very gettable at the moment.
And yet, at the same time, I am reminded of the great Rudy Tomjanovic when his Houston Rockets went from the brink of elimination to NBA champions. He said loud and proud “never doubt the heart of a champion.”
Perhaps there is a bit in that?
The Lions face the top of the table Fremantle next week in another blockbuster…. That the AFL has scheduled for twilight on a Saturday arvo. Seriously, these fixture makers… could they just be good at their jobs?
If Brisbane win that, this howler is put quickly to bed, but if they lose again, the drums beat a little louder.
As for the Giants, Clayton Oliver gets the opportunity to go head-to-head with his old mates at Melbourne, and whilst I am sure there is a lot of love amongst the playing group, there is not so much between Clarrie and the club. The game is in the Northern Territory, so expect a zinc’ed up version of Oliver out for blood.
This is the game that could springboard the Giants back into contention.
The dye has been cast. They know what they are now capable of, and the young stars of the team have had that taste of dominant football. They’ll be hungry for more.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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