Giants wilt under Brisbane pressure as Lions tighten grip on top four

The GWS Giants started fast but were ultimately outmuscled by Brisbane as Lachie Neale continued his good form to lead the Lions to a 14-point win at the Gabba on Saturday afternoon.

After kicking out to a five-goal lead midway through the first term,the Giants wilted in the Brisbane heat as the second-placed Lions tightened their grasp on the top four.

Neale,who is in the kind of form that won him the Brownlow Medal in 2020,finished with 39 touches and nine clearances as the Lions overcame a six-goal deficit midway through the first quarter to overcome the much-improved Giants.

Only Clayton Oliver and Jack Macrae have more centre clearances than Neale this season,but he wasn’t on his own - emerging midfielder Jarrod Berry finishing with a career-high 33 disposals after the Giants dominated in centre clearances early on.

Giants interim coach Mark McVeigh said his team’s first-quarter efforts put them in a good position to win,but he knew the Lions would eventually work their way back into the contest.

“They[the Lions] probably made some fundamental mistakes,that’s uncharacteristic for them,” he said. “Some of their really good players started getting involved in the game -[Jarrod] Berry from the wing,we had to put some work into him because he started get off.

GWS’s Isaac Cumming gets a kick away under pressure at the Gabba.

GWS’s Isaac Cumming gets a kick away under pressure at the Gabba.Getty

“They’re a fantastic side,well coached,but I thought for us to go into half-time in a really good position to challenge was a real positive.”

A trip to the Gabba to face the second-placed Lions was always going to be a much sterner test for the Giants than last week’s 52-point stroll at home to West Coast,but the Lions were stunned by the fast-starting visitors a week after succumbing to Hawthorn in a final-quarter upset.

Livewire forward Toby Greene scored three first-quarter goals and James Peatling added two to his career-best three-goal haul last week as the Giants moved the ball from one end of the Gabba to the other with ease.

The Lions didn’t help their cause by conceding two goals from free kicks in the Giants’ forward 50,a week after giving up 36 free kicks to the Hawks,but they eventually joined the party in a high-scoring first term,with Lincoln McCarthy booting back-to-back goals to bring the margin back to two goals at quarter-time.

The Lions and Giants scored a combined 14 goals in a high-scoring,free-flowing first period,but both went goalless as the Lions controlled the tempo in the first seven minutes.

Callan Ward was subbed out due to concussion after running back with the flight of the ball into the knee of Eric Hipwood midway through the second term. McVeigh said Ward would likely suffer residual effects in the next few days but is hopeful the veteran will be able to return after the Giants’ bye next week.

“He’ll be well looked after,and we’re into the break,so we’d like to think that it’d be OK,” McVeigh said.

The Lions turned up the pressure on the visitors through the second and third terms as Jarrod Berry and Neale,continuing his scintillating form,took control of the midfield. Daniel McStay booted the Lions into the lead with the first goal of the third term and looked to have the game sewn up with a 19-point lead at the final change.

But the Giants found their scoring boots to pile on the first three goals of the final term,Jesse Hogan’s second goal bringing the margin back to 10 points,before Lincoln McCarthy settled the Lions’ nerves with his fourth goal.

The Lions head west to take on a resurgent Fremantle Dockers next Sunday,while the Giants will have a bye to take stock of a season in which they have lost long-time coach Leon Cameron,eight games and any slim prospect of making a surge towards finals contention.

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Angus Thomson is a reporter covering health at the Sydney Morning Herald.

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