Loading

But he accepted the obvious benefits of the Lions’ second-placed finish. “I think it’s certainly an advantage. The fact is we don’t have to travel for a few weeks, so that’s helpful in itself because we’re at the end of a long season where we’ve travelled 12 times.

“We’re potentially playing Victorian clubs who have travelled maybe five times in a season. So, there’s an energy factor to it all.”

At the Gabba St Kilda defender Josh Battle was concussed in the second quarter but, with the bye next week, he should be available to play provided he passes all the relevant tests. It was Battle’s second concussion this year.

The Lions always looked like they had more in reserve, even on an off night. There was a gulf in talent that – Carlton aside – defines the gap between this year’s top four and the rest of the eight. St Kilda are plucky, but there’s a long way to go.

Ex-captain Dayne Zorko remains critical to the Lions’ prospects. He is not quite the player he once was, but his 22 possessions showed he hadn’t lost his quickness of mind and laser-like foot skills.

Loading

Lachie Neale racked up 10 clearances, and Cam Rayner bobbed up with a lethal cameo in the third quarter. The Saints were still in the contest with five minutes to go, but Tim Membrey and Mitch Owens both missed chances to close the gap on the Lions.

Six weeks ago, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon lamented the skill level of his side after going down to Gold Coast, and some of his post-match complaints – short passes that landed at ankle height or less, simple handballs that missed the mark – still rang true.

“It’s a tough gig here,” Lyon said. “But I thought we fought on, and in a weird way, we had some opportunities to get within a goal or whatever.

“They stood up when they needed to, and we’ll take the feedback, we’re a real work in progress. But I think it’s great – what a hit-out before a final, to go to the last second, hard and tough.”

“For us, my group, my boys, our club has worked really hard to create an opportunity … The narrative around us has been quite negative, but in saying that, I think we go in good order to whoever we play, wherever we play, and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Some of that narrative was created by Lyons himself after loss to the Suns, when he all but dismissed his own team’s finals prospects. Reminded, he grinned. “A week’s a long time in footy. Let alone six!”

Another problem was the Saints’ lack of dare. They remained stagnant and conservative, and thus lost all connection with their forward line. They were having a hard enough time clearing the ball from defence.

Loading

The Lions weren’t much better with ball in hand. Conor McKenna turned the ball over twice from consecutive kick-ins in the second quarter; Keidean Coleman picked out the Saints’ Dan Butler from 20 metres early in the third. None were punished on the scoreboard.

Otherwise, they were all over the Saints early, dominating territory, clearances and contested ball, and shots on goal, which they kept butchering. The tone was set early, when Daniher hit the post from 12 metres out dead in front.

The Saints finally took the game on in the third quarter and were rewarded, levelling the scores when lively substitute Ryan Byrnes hit Tim Membrey on the chest. Jack Hayes, in his first game in 18 months, was mobbed by teammates when he kicked truly.

But last-quarter goals to Hugh McCluggage and Daniher put a couple of goals between the sides, and the Lions held St Kilda at arms’ length from there, aided by the visitors’ inability to finish when it counted.

BRISBANE LIONS 2.8 4.11 7.11 9.18 (72)
ST KILDA 3.1 3.3 7.5 9.6 (60)
GOALS - Brisbane Lions: Cameron 2, Daniher 2, McCluggage, Zorko, Rayner, McInerney, Fletcher
St Kilda: Membrey 3, Hayes, Gresham, Wood, Crouch, Butler, Phillipou
BEST – Brisbane Lions: Zorko, Neale, Coleman, Berry, Daniher, Wilmot. St Kilda: Marshall, Sinclair, Crouch, Wilkie, Wood, Windhager
INJURIES – Brisbane Lions: Nil. St Kilda: Battle (concussion).
UMPIRES - Power, O’Gorman, Hosking, Fleer.
CROWD - 31,689 at the Gabba.