Taylor Smith was the hero for the Brisbane Lions in a breathtaking ending to the AFLW match. With only a minute and twenty seconds remaining in the match, it was Leroux’s downfield free kick that resulted in the final, winning goal. That late major sealed an amazing third quarter comeback win over the Adelaide Crows. With this victory, the Lions’ record moved up to 2-2 after Round 4.
Smith’s match-winning effort capped off an impressive performance in which she scored two goals, joining teammates Courtney Hodder and Charlotte Mullins, who contributed two goals each. The Lions have traditionally had the upper hand in their match-ups against Adelaide, winning 11 of 14 match-ups. Six of these games were decided by one goal or less. This fact speaks to how narrow their rivalry really is.
During the match, each side had flashes of creativity. Adelaide’s Eloise Jones executed one of the goals of the season from the boundary line after beating Sophie Conway to a ground ball. Courtney Randall added a brace to see the Crows of Sydney home. Further back, Ebony Marinoff was the architect of Adelaide’s midfield destruction, racking up 23 disposals and five clearances.
The level of competition was high, as each team fought tooth and nail to prove themselves the best. Ally Anderson led Brisbane’s midfield efforts with 22 disposals, while Bre Koenen stood out defensively as a crucial pillar for the Lions.
Taylor Smith talked about her decisive goal from a post-game interview with Seven .
“It was the hard work of the girls up the field and I was just the lucky one to get it down the field,” said Smith.
Her words reflected an overall fondness for the intense competitive nature that existed between the two teams.
“We love playing Adelaide. They’re great competitors and really classy opposition. We’ve all got to know them pretty well now, so we just enjoy the competition and enjoy the fight,” she added.
As the Brisbane Lions rejoice in securing this rigorous win, they attempt to muscle their way into momentum going on in the season. The win over Adelaide not only reinforces their strong historical record against them but sets a positive tone as they aim for continued success in upcoming matches.
