West Coast’s game got a fitting July audit by the best in the business, and while they couldn’t overcome a powerhouse Brisbane, the 24-point defeat proved they’re on the right path to success.
The dual reigning premiers were tested by last year’s wooden spooners, who are developing a style that took the Lions to the line in the 13.15 (93) to 10.9 (69) loss at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
Ultimately, a Brisbane outfit featuring 21 premiership players – including 15 who had played in both flag triumphs – showed West Coast still have a way to go if they want to play with the big boys.
After they struggled to get on top of the Eagles in the first half, the Lions went up a gear in the third quarter, kicking six goals to two to gain ascendancy.
The Eagles’ defence was herculean under immense pressure. Brady Hough renewed acquaintances with a familiar foe in Charlie Cameron (two goals) and did a fantastic job on the mercurial forward.
Rhett Bazzo edged out young forward Logan Morris in an enthralling match-up, but was helped by the Lions’ wayward kicking, as he finished with 1.4.
At the other end of the ground, Eagles spearhead Jobe Shanahan (three goals, six marks) found himself manned by Lions co-captain Harris Andrews, who was influential with 12 marks and 22 disposals.
All-Australian forward Jake Waterman rediscovered his best form, kicking a season-high five goals.
In the middle, Brisbane just had too many ball-winners, led by dual Norm Smith medallist Will Ashcroft (32 disposals and seven clearances) and two-time Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale (32 disposals, six clearances and a goal).
Harley Reid (23 disposals and 10 clearances) did his best to counterattack despite tweaking an ankle early, while ruckman Bailey Williams was dominant against Sam Draper, finishing with a career-high 44 hit-outs to go with 16 disposals and eight clearances.
Reid was central to plenty of the action throughout the night, sparring verbally and physically with several opponents, while with the footy in hand his influence was profound.
It was a horror start for West Coast when they lost pressure forward Jack Hutchinson to a right hamstring injury in the opening 90 seconds.
Hutchinson over-stretched as he was pushed while taking a mark and came to the bench as soon as he missed the set shot.
To rub salt into the wounds, the Lions went coast-to-coast with Eric Hipwood slotting a simple goal as he ran into an unguarded goalsquare.
West Coast weren’t deterred by their early misfortune, stunning the highly fancied Lions with five unanswered goals on the back of their centre clearance dominance.
It wasn’t only their work up the ground, but their forward line was at their efficient best, scoring from all of their first seven inside-50s, kicking a remarkable 5.2.
The only negative was when Reid was felled after Brisbane defender Noah Answerth collected him late, stepping on his left foot before the Eagle further aggravated it when he slipped on a ledge on the bench.
Brisbane finally hit back, but it took a spectacular mark from small forward Kai Lohmann (four goals) in the wet conditions before kicking truly from the set shot.
For only the fourth time this season the Eagles led at quarter time (32-17). But while Brisbane were behind on the scoreboard, they had controlled most of the contest, leading the inside-50s 20 to 11 at quarter time, which was evidence that their game was in good order.
It was only their efficiency which was letting them down, and they began to rectify it within the second term as they got within a couple of points of the home side.
The return of Reid after more than 20 minutes of treatment seemingly gave the Eagles a burst of energy, but Brisbane’s class was beginning to come to the fore.
A sensational snap from Willem Duursma ensured West Coast had some breathing room come quarter time, but there was a feeling the Lions were lying in wait.
The Eagles were going to need everything to go their way in the second half – after leading by seven points at the main break – if they were going to cause an upset, and early misses to Elliot Yeo and Reid were compounded by a goal to Cameron at the other end of the ground.
Zac Bailey then beat his ex-teammate Brandon Starcevich in a one-on-one in the goalsquare to give Brisbane the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the match – and they wouldn’t relinquish it again.
The floodgates opened as the Eagles’ confidence escaped them and so did their skills, with Brisbane making them pay on the rebound.
Down by 16 points at the final break, the Eagles drew first blood through Waterman’s fourth goal, but the Lions simply had answers for every challenge laid at their feet.
Levi Ashcroft extended Brisbane’s lead when he split the middle from the right forward pocket, before Cam Rayner received a free kick after Liam Baker collected him in mid-air.
Rayner slotted the goal before things became heated between the two sides, but the damage had been done, and the Lions had sealed their sixth-consecutive win.
BRISBANE 2.5, 4.9, 10.11, 13.15 (93)
WEST COAST 5.2, 6.4, 8.7, 10.9 (69)
Goals – BRISBANE: K Lohmann 4 C Cameron 2 L Ashcroft Z Bailey E Hipwood C McKenna L Morris L Neale C Rayner. WEST COAST: J Waterman 5 J Shanahan 3 W Duursma M Murdock.
Best – BRISBANE: W Ashcroft L Neale H Andrews J Dunkley Z Bailey K Lohmann. WEST COAST: J Waterman H Reid B Williams J Shanahan R Bazzo B Hough.
Injuries – WEST COAST: J Hutchinson (hamstring).
Umpires: D Johanson N Brown J Fry N McGinness. Crowd: 41,560 at Optus Stadium.