The Brisbane Lions powered their way to a crucial double chance-clinching triumph against the Collingwood Magpies. They held on impressively, winning 6.16 (52) to 5.2 (32) at Victoria Park on Sunday. This signature victory sent the Lions up to third on the AFLW ladder. Sitting fourth, they are in a terrific place now looking towards Hawthorn as the finals approach.
Brisbane’s Shannon Campbell celebrated her 100th AFLW game in style with a typically solid team performance. Dakota Davidson left her footprints all over the field, scoring 1.4 goals per game. In the ruck, Tahlia Hickie had a huge impact, winning 20 hitouts to go with 20 disposals and four clearances.
Despite the loss, Collingwood’s Sarah Rowe celebrated her 75th game with an impressive performance, amassing 20 disposals. Teammates Charlotte Mullins and Ally Anderson fueled her dynamic performance. Mullins clocked up 26 disposals, Anderson notched that same number, but went one better, laying six clearances too.
Both teams were on high alert during the very close match. The never-say-die Lions came back to take the victory, providing a perfect finish to a rough beginning of the 2023 season. Belle Dawes, reflecting on the season, stated,
“Really good home and away season — didn’t start the way we wanted but feels like finished the way we wanted with a few good wins.” – Belle Dawes
Orla O’Dwyer echoed a sentiment of unity among the team, emphasizing their long-standing collaboration:
“What really makes a difference is we’ve played together for so long, so we knew we’d come right.” – Orla O’Dwyer
While Collingwood battled hard, Airlie Runnalls was a standout for the Pies with 20 disposals. Most credit has to go to Tarni White, who was brilliant defending deep, picking up 10 intercept possessions.
With finals fast approaching, these two teams will be grateful for their seasons regardless of the outcome. The Brisbane Lions will carry momentum from this victory into the postseason, buoyed by a renewed sense of belief that has developed over recent weeks. Belle Dawes remarked on this transformation, noting:
“We didn’t have a lot of belief from other people and people always write us off, but I think we feed off that and over the last few weeks, the belief’s strong.” – Belle Dawes
