Anyone who doubted what the Brisbane Lions are capable of in 2026 had their eyes opened in Round Seven, as they dispensed with the Adelaide Crows in emphatic fashion at the Gabba.
After a close contest over the first quarter, the Lions flexed their muscle through the middle of the game, kicking 11 goals to the Crows’ three over the second and third stanzas, to set up their win.
The running power of the Lions, combined with an ability to adapt their game on the fly, gave Adelaide fits. The Crows could not find avenues to work through the middle of the ground, and when they turned the footy over, they were punished harshly on the rebound.
Time and again, the Lions were able to find space out the back, with Charlie Cameron providing the Gabba crowd with four renditions of his favourite John Denver song, and Zac Bailey adding three.
Oooh – Ahhh!
The Crows managed to win the final quarter, but the damage was already done, with the Lions the far better team on the day, winning by 52 points in a canter.
Let’s jump into The Mongrel’s Loves and Hates from this one.
This is just the introduction – the remainder of this article is for our members. They support me, and I provide for them. It’s a good deal.
Oh… a Mongrel paywall… the worst of all paywalls. We’re all in on the 2026 AFL season. Player articles, stats, awards, game coverage. Dump the mainstream lip service and dive into articles like this – you will never look back. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I consider it your loss as we get into the grind of the season, and you’re stuck with the stuff that’s frustrated you for years.
