Brisbane Lions have booked their place in the AFL preliminary final with an emphatic 81-point victory over the Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba on Saturday night. The reigning premiers won 14.16.100 to 6.11.47 in a second semi-final that was billed as the biggest game in Queensland history, but ultimately proved a one-sided affair after half-time.
The Suns started strongly, with Ben King kicking two early goals to give the visitors an early lead. However, the Lions responded through the likes of Dayne Zorko and Charlie Cameron, and a tactical switch saw Harris Andrews move onto King, effectively nullifying his influence. The match was tightly contested for a quarter and a half before Brisbane pulled away, leading by 25 points at the main break.
Key to the Lions' dominance was Josh Dunkley, who laid 18 tackles, a finals record, while Will Ashcroft, the reigning Norm Smith Medallist, impressed with his creativity and run in the second quarter. The Suns' composure unravelled late in the first half, and they offered little resistance after the interval.
The defeat ends a memorable season for Gold Coast, who had won their first-ever final the previous week against Fremantle. It also marked the final game for club legend David Swallow, the Suns' first draft pick in 2010, who played as a substitute in six of his nine games this year. Brisbane will now face Collingwood in a preliminary final at the MCG next Saturday.
