Photo: Daniel Cohen
The Lions stamped their premiership credentials in a dominant display in a much hyped QClash 3, running out dominant 69-point winners and re-writing records along the way.
The win was the largest in the Lions AFLW history, eclipsing the 63-point winning total from QClash 2.
They outgunned the Suns from the very start; a surprise considering the red-hot for Gold Coast had found in previous weeks.
The Suns will be left wondering, as they were simply out-gunned by a fit, fast Lions unit who jumped out of the blocks with three goals in the first 10 minutes.
Following a recent run of form, the question going into the match on Thursday night was – have the Suns arrived?
They managed to stem the flow, but were unable to apply any scoreboard pressure at the other end.
Courtney Hodder was simply unstoppable, picking up 17 disposals and 2 goals, earning the QClash Medal as Best on Ground. She ran rampant up forward and, with a steady diet of delivery into the forward 50, was able to capitalise with one of the best games of her career.
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She had plenty of help, with Emily Bates (23 touches, 14 tackles), Sophie Conway and Isabel Dawes (17 possessions each), while Taylor Smith booted three goals against her old club.
There were nine individual goal kickers for the Lions for their 12 goals, a spread that ensure they won’t be heavily relying on any one star to kick a winning score when finals roll around.
The Lions dominated every aspect of play on the night, but the most telling stat might be that they blunted the Suns two-pronged attack of Perkins and Bohanna, the Suns unable to take a single mark inside 50.
Ali Drennan and Jamie Stanton were the major ball winners for the Suns, with some assistance from Charlie Rowbottom, but there simply weren’t enough winners on the night for the hosts.
The Suns only two goals came in the final quarter, with Tori Groves-Little finishing off some enterprising play (including their head-tap goal celebration), and a Sarah Perkins 45 metre bomb after a great tackle inside the forward 50 earned her the ball.
The Lions’ win sets up a mouth-watering match on Monday night against the Demons at Metricon, in what could loom as a Grand Final preview.
Final Score:
GOLD COAST 0.1 0.2 0.2 2.4 (16)
BRISBANE 3.2 6.8 8.13 12.13 (85)
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