If someone had pencilled their results in for this game before the season, most people who watched AFL over 2024 would tell you that this was primed to be a bloodbath. In 2024, Brisbane decimated the Tigers by 119 points, albeit playing at the Lions’ invincible home ground of the Gabba. This season, after Richmond suffered an exodus of stars, most would have predicted a similar one-sided affair.
In a game between last season’s premiers and a team that many prognosticators predicted would go through the season winless, things were a lot more competitive. While the Lions did win comfortably, there was plenty for the Tigers fans watching to enjoy.
In the end, the Lions probably could have opened up more of a gap, but seemed to take their foot off the pedal, which allowed the Tigers to close the margin in the last quarter and make the final score a bit more respectable.
Young Tiger Cubs show plenty of promise
Much has been made of the exodus of Richmond’s stars in the last season, with Shai Bolton heading to Fremantle, Liam Baker and Jack Graham to West Coast, and Daniel Rioli following former Richmond coach, Damien Hardwick, to the Gold Coast.
However, Richmond has picked up some genuine young talent in the last few seasons. A lot has been made of 2025 Number 1 draft pick Sam Lalor, who has drawn favourable comparisons to Richmond’s Triple Norm Smith Medallist Dustin Martin. However, Lalor certainly isn’t alone in stepping up.
Jacob Blight was drafted in the mid-season draft last year as a mature age recruit and has certainly been a decent find for the Tigers. In his first full season, Blight has been a versatile player for the Tigers, starting Round One as a key back, completely blanketing Harry McKay. Against the Lions, Blight played as Richmond’s second ruckman behind Toby Nankervis, and drifted forward as needed.
Seth Campbell also looks to be a threat for the Tigers. The young forward looks impressive forward of the ball. In all four games this season, Campbell has been a multiple goal scorer, and in the first half, Campbell kicked two out of the Tigers’ six goals.
No Daniher, No Worries for the Lions.
Following the retirement of Joe Daniher after the 2024 Grand Final, many questioned how the Lions would replace their key forward and second ruck. However, the Lions have seemingly answered that question, at least for the moment. Brisbane had multiple goal scorers, with Bailey, McCluggage, W. Ashcroft, L. Ashcroft, Charlie Cameron, Ah Chee, Berry, Fletcher, Morris, Reveille, and Hipwood all kicking goals today.
Certainly, the spread of goal kickers is an asset to Brisbane rather than an issue, because it becomes difficult for their opposition defence to stop all the avenues to goal. While they haven’t had the forward threat of the Adelaide Crows, they remain very dangerous.
Can Brisbane go back-to-back?
The Lions are on track to break the curse of the last two seasons, where the reigning premier has missed the finals. In 2023, Geelong missed out on the finals after winning the Premiership in 2022. In 2024, Collingwood missed the finals after losing their first 3 games of the season.
In the corresponding round of last season, Brisbane came off their first win of the season after suffering an awful start, with issues seemingly emerging from everywhere for the club. This season, the Lions are in a much better position, having won each of their first four games, are one of only three undefeated teams, and have a relatively clean bill of health.
This holds the Lions in good stead to launch a successful defence of their title. With players like the Ashcrofts, Fletcher, and Lachie Neale in great form, the Lions are going to be a hard team to stop if they get going.
GoTY Contender from Ashcroft
I know it’s a little bit early to call something Goal of the Year, but Will Ashcroft kicked an absolute beaut of a goal late in the third quarter. Standing roughly 30 meters out from goal on the boundary, Ashcroft got a short handball from Zorko before running forward a few meters and kicking a bit of a dribbler that flew under the outstretched arms of a defender before bouncing through for a goal.
The goal was so good that it even drew compliments from Jason Dunstall, a notable critic of players using the dribble kick. Dunstall did draw a difference between regular dribble kicks and Ashcroft, stating that the Brisbane midfielder looked to the inside first, and noticed that the square was empty before kicking the goal.
Speed Kills, both ways
One of the most notable things for me about this game was the speed at which both teams seemed to play on at every given opportunity, and used chains of handballs to transition the ball from end to end. As a result, players often found space going over the top, making it difficult to defend.
On the flipside, when the ball was moved slowly, it was easy for each team’s defensive structures to suffocate forward ball movement. Brisbane seemed to do this better, with Jack Payne set up behind the ball, taking eight marks and keeping Tom Lynch to just a single goal. For the Tigers, Ben Miller played well on Hipwood before suffering what is hopefully a minor injury, and Jacob Blight looked good before Yze sent him into the ruck and forward line.
