As poor as the Lions were in rounds one and three, they’ve now beaten two serious contenders in Melbourne and the Magpies. The Gabba is still their fortress. And the longer the match went, the more the Magpies’ lack of a recognised ruck bit.

Early on, it hadn’t looked like a major factor. While the Lions held the early advantage in hit-outs and clearances, Collingwood’s swarming pressure denied them clean takeaways. Once the ball got outside the contest, the transition was enough to give the Lions whiplash.

But Collingwood’s style of play, as daring as it is, is always going to give their opposition a chance. In the second quarter, their pressure dropped, they couldn’t win the same weight of ground balls, and their disorganisation in the ruck began to tell.

Twice, they gave away free kicks from centre bounces; on one of those occasions, it was unclear who was supposed to contest the ruck at all. And the Lions raised their game to a level they haven’t reached so far this season.

Rayner emerged as the game breaker, giving away two direct assists to go with his two goals in the first quarter. Rayner has played at halfback so far this season, and it looks like that experiment’s been given away. He’s too explosive to be wasted there.

More pleasingly for the home side, their tall forwards stood up. There may have been some hearts in mouths when Hipwood passed to Daniher, but Daniher made the snap. Hipwood got to more contests, created opportunities, and kicked a couple himself.

That left Collingwood 22 points in arrears, with some questions to answer. They’d been in this position against Geelong in round one, and too many times to mention last year, but this had a different feel. For the first time in 2023, they’d lost their mojo, and looked vulnerable.

Lincoln McCarthy is another Lion to have come under heat. Within a minute of the second half, he jagged a pass across his body to Dayne Zorko, who found Hipwood for his second. Now the margin was 28, and the Lions had the last seven straight goals.

Collingwood buckled. Jamie Elliott missed a set shot from dead in front; a minute later, Charlie Cameron was streaming in for his second, then Rayner a third. And Nick Daicos hit the post on the run. That might have been the sealer: this wasn’t the Magpies’ night.

And yet. Brody Mihocek bobbed up with three smart goals late in the quarter, cutting the margin to 30 at the last change; the Lions gave up five goals in just 10 minutes after the lights went out against Melbourne two weeks ago.

But Collingwood have flown too close to the sun too many times now. Rayner broke a tackle to find a flying Will Ashcroft, who hit Cameron, then Rayner’s third assist saw Cameron’s song Country Roads rung around the Gabba for the fifth time. The Lions were home.

BRISBANE LIONS 3.2 9.4 14.6 18.8 (116)
COLLINGWOOD 5.3 5.6 8.12 11.17 (83)
GOALS – Brisbane Lions: Cameron 6 Rayner 4 Daniher 2 Hipwood 2 Wilmot Berry Prior Zorko. Collingwood: Mihocek 3 Hill 2 N Daicos 2 Adams Johnson Crisp De Goey.
BEST – Brisbane Lions: Rayner Cameron Neale Daniher Dunkley Ashcroft. Collingwood: N Daicos Pendlebury Quaynor Maynard Mihocek.
Injuries – Brisbane Lions: Nil. Collingwood: Nil.
Umpires: Stephens Power Gavine Mollison.
Crowd: 33,565 at The Gabba.

VOTES:
C Rayner (BL) 8
C Cameron (BL) 7
N Daicos (C) 7
L Neale (BL) 7
J Daniher (BL) 7