Source : the age
The Brisbane Lions have continued their rise up the ladder with a big win over Collingwood at the Gabba, while all eyes will be on whether Nick Daicos will be fit for Gather Round after he was withdrawn just before the match on Thursday night.
The Lions were never headed and had winners across the ground, despite their makeshift defence due to injury and suspension.
The biggest difference in the match was the forward lines, with several goal-scoring chances going begging for the potent Lions, who still posted a bumper score thanks to Logan Morris (three goals), Kai Lohmann (four) and Oscar Allen (three) all impressive, along with cameos from Charlie Cameron and their midfield.
Will Ashcroft’s third-term goal will be a goal of the year contender, just adding to his stunning night.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on how Craig McRae’s Magpies bounce back from their underwhelming start to 2026 and their ongoing struggles to kick goals. Outside of Dan McStay’s three goals, the Pies had few dangers forward of centre.
Daicos’ calf injury will alarm supporters despite the Magpies remaining confident he will be fit for Gather Round in Adelaide next weekend, while Steele Sidebottom showed great determination to play on after a blistering hit from Keidean Coleman.
The Lions are due to get premiership star defender and skipper Harris Andrews back from suspension, just adding to their ascension.
That’s all for tonight.
Thanks so much for joining us this evening. We will be back tomorrow afternoon for our Good Friday footy live blog.
We hope you will join us then.
Bye for now.
Lions coach Chris Fagan called tonight’s performances of star recruits Oscar Allen and Sam Draper “glimpses” of what the two players can do for the side this season.
Allen kicked three goals while Draper had 18 disposals and 12 hitouts in the win.
“I always thought that the more that Oscar and Sam play, the better they were going to get because they didn’t play a whole lot of football last year,” Fagan said.
“I think we got a glimpse tonight of what they could mean to the club. I hope they can get even better, and I think they will. It was a real positive step for those two fellas.”
Collingwood coach Craig McRae is still surprised that Magpies superstar Nick Daicos couldn’t take his place in their side tonight.
Daicos was a late withdrawal after being unable to loosen up a corked calf. McRae hopes that’s the extent of the injury, and that his gun onballer doesn’t have more extensive damage.
“He corked his calf. On Tuesday training he just wanted to get moving – he didn’t train and was hobbling around,” McRae said.
“Nick is an ultra-positive guy and one of the best professionals in the game. He gave himself every chance to prove his fitness.
Lions ruckman Sam Draper knows he is on a winner with his move to the Brisbane Lions, but he won’t clip his former club Essendon, despite their struggles.
“It’s great to be up here – a change of environment was just what I needed,” Draper told Fox Footy.
“I still think Essendon are doing plenty of things right.
“[But] I was in a bit of a rut physically and mentally, so a change has been the best thing for me.”
Draper said he didn’t have his car up in Brisbane for the first three months in town, so fellow newcomer Oscar Allen drove him to training each day.
Lions star Will Ashcroft wanted to test himself against Nick Daicos tonight, but he was nonetheless proud of the tackling and “heat” the home side put on Collingwood at the Gabba.
Ashcroft was best on ground with 36 disposals and a goal as the Magpies never recovered from losing Daicos during the warm-up.
“You want the best players playing every game, [and] we were preparing for him,” Ashcroft told Fox Footy.
“We wanted to bring our pressure, bring our heat in the first quarter regardless of who was playing – our minds were set on that tonight, and we got the job done.”
Lions forward Oscar Allen is loving life at his new club after kicking three goals in tonight’s win over Collingwood.
“The guys ahead of the footy do a tremendous job, not only with the footy, but we are getting turnovers in some dangerous space,” Allen told Fox Footy after the match.
“It’s a treat to run out towards them, [but] we know we can finish our work better. We kicked 17.17.
“This club has welcomed not only me but my wife with open arms.”
The Brisbane Lions have continued their rise up the ladder with a big win over Collingwood at the Gabba, while all eyes will be on whether Nick Daicos will be fit for Gather Round after he was withdrawn just before the match on Thursday night.
The Lions were never headed and had winners across the ground, despite their makeshift defence due to injury and suspension.
The biggest difference in the match was the forward lines, with several goal-scoring chances going begging for the potent Lions, who still posted a bumper score thanks to Logan Morris (three goals), Kai Lohmann (four) and Oscar Allen (three) all impressive, along with cameos from Charlie Cameron and their midfield.
Will Ashcroft’s third-term goal will be a goal of the year contender, just adding to his stunning night.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on how Craig McRae’s Magpies bounce back from their underwhelming start to 2026 and their ongoing struggles to kick goals. Outside of Dan McStay’s three goals, the Pies had few dangers forward of centre.
Daicos’ calf injury will alarm supporters despite the Magpies remaining confident he will be fit for Gather Round in Adelaide next weekend, while Steele Sidebottom showed great determination to play on after a blistering hit from Keidean Coleman.
The Lions are due to get premiership star defender and skipper Harris Andrews back from suspension, just adding to their ascension.
I don’t think you can ever call a game against this Collingwood side easy, but the Lions are doing it comfortably as we count down the minutes until full-time.
The “BRRUUUUUUUCEEEE” chants are rolling around the Gabba now after Bruce Reville nailed a goal from the forward pocket.
He’s a ripper. This Lions team is pretty awesome too.
Lions 112, Pies 64 with eight mins to go.
The Magpies finally managed to break free of the Lions and get some quick footy into their forward line.
It worked a treat as they kicked long to Dan McStay, who was cleaned up as he attempted a mark against his former side.
Still, he went back and slotted his third goal.
There is rain falling now in Brisbane, just to add to the Pies’ challenges.
Lions 93, Pies 58 with 12 mins to go.
