Lions Do It Again at Kardinia and I Am Not Calm
Back-to-back wins at Kardinia Park. Let that sink in for a second. The Brisbane Lions have gone into one of the most intimidating venues in the competition and done the job two years running, and if you weren’t already taking this team seriously as a premiership contender, now is probably the time to start.
This wasn’t some scrappy, hang-on-for-dear-life kind of win either. This was a high-scoring, end-to-end epic — the kind of game that gets talked about in footy circles for weeks. Both teams threw everything at each other, the scoreboard kept ticking over like a cricket match, and when the siren went it was the Lions who were left standing. Top four, baby. We’re there.
What Kardinia Park Actually Means
I want to take a moment to put this into context, because I think sometimes younger fans — and I include myself here — can undersell what it means to win at Kardinia. This is Geelong’s backyard. The Cats have historically used that ground as a fortress, particularly in the second half of the season when the big games matter most. The crowd, the conditions, the familiarity — all of it bends toward the home side.
For Brisbane to go down there and win once is notable. To do it in back-to-back seasons, in games that weren’t flukes or low-scoring stalemates but genuinely open, high-octane contests? That is a legit statement of intent. This group is not scared of big moments at big venues, and that matters enormously when you’re thinking about where this season could go come September.
The Midfield Brigade Did Their Thing
If you want to understand why Brisbane won this game, start in the middle of the ground. The Lions’ midfield brigade has been building genuine momentum over recent weeks and this performance was probably their most complete of the season so far.
The work rate through the contest was relentless. Contested possessions, clearances, that hard running between stoppages that doesn’t always show up on the highlights reel but absolutely shows up on the scoreboard — Brisbane were excellent in all of it. When your midfield dominates the way theirs did on the weekend, you give your forwards the kind of supply they need to hurt a quality opponent.
And hurt them they did. The Lions’ inside 50 entries were frequent and purposeful, not just hopeful bombs into traffic. That’s a sign of a team that has its structures right and trusts each other to be in the right spot. No notes on the connection between the engine room and the forward line in this one.
Geelong Made It a Fight — Credit Where It’s Due
Look, I’m a Lions fan, but I’m not going to pretend Geelong were a pushover. They never are. The Cats threw everything at Brisbane in patches throughout the game, and there were moments in the second half where the margin looked like it could flip. That’s what makes Kardinia Park such a challenge — even when you’re on top, the home side always feels like they’re one big quarter away from stealing it back.
Geelong’s forward entries were dangerous at stages, and they converted well enough to keep the pressure on. The fact that Brisbane held firm and didn’t fold under that pressure is actually one of the most encouraging signs from the whole contest. Last year’s premiership hurt left some scars, and watching this group respond — week after week, game after game — with composure and belief is genuinely exciting to see.
The Top Four Is Not a Fluke
There’s going to be people who say it’s still early, that the ladder is flukey at this stage of the season, that Brisbane shouldn’t get ahead of themselves. And yeah, technically fair. But I also think there’s something legit building here that deserves recognition.
\p>The Lions have beaten quality opposition on the road. They’re scoring well. Their defensive structures are tighter than they were in the early rounds. The young players are growing, the experienced heads are leading, and — maybe most importantly — they look like a team that actually beleives in each other. That intangible stuff matters so much when finals come around.
Jumping into the top four after this result isn’t just a ladder position — it’s a reflection of genuine form. Brisbane are earning their spot up there, and the rest of the competition is going to have to deal with that.
Growing the Game in Queensland — This Is How You Do It
I want to step back from the pure footy analysis for a second and talk about something I care about almost as much as the results: what this Lions team means for football in Queensland.
Every time Brisbane wins a high-profile game like this, every time they beat a powerhouse club in dramatic fashion and land on the national highlights, another kid in Brisbane or the Gold Coast or Cairns sees it and thinks — that’s a team I want to follow. Growing the game in Queensland is a long game, and I genuinely believe the Lions are doing more for it right now than any amount of grassroots marketing ever could.
Winning does more for the footy community up here than anything else. Full stop. And right now, this Lions group is winning in style.
What Comes Next
The schedule doesn’t get easier from here — it never does when you’re a top-four team with a target on your back. The challenges will come, the tests will keep arriving, and there will probably be a wobble or two between now and September. That’s just footy.
But right now, in this moment, I want to enjoy what this Brisbane Lions team is doing. Two straight wins at Kardinia Park. A legitimate top-four berth. A midfield that is absolutely pumping on all cylinders. A forward line that is dangerous and creative. A defensive unit that held firm when Geelong pushed hardest.
This is a complete football team doing complete football things, and I am completely here for it. If you haven’t locked in your September plans yet, Lions fans, maybe now’s the time to start thinking about it.
The Lions aren’t just making up the numbers this season. They’re coming for everything. And after what I watched at Kardinia Park, I genuinely think the competition should be a little bit worried about that.
