AFL round three Brisbane Lions vs Collingwood live updates — blog ...

There's half a smile on his face. I'm sure there is palpable relief.

Here's what Craig McRae had to say:

"There was a damning number we saw earlier in the week. Last year we were number one for pressure, and this year we were 13th. That stung us. We all saw that and thought 'that's not us'.

"Lachie Neale got busy at the stoppages, he's a very, very good player. They're a good team, and on their home deck they were always going to get a roll on. Credit to our backs, I thought the dam wall was going to break open.

"We've had a bit against us, in terms of the pile-on. But we're a pretty proud group. We needed to get this thing moving, and it was pleasing that our best players played well tonight."

Collingwood have revived their AFL season and sent the Brisbane Lions' further south with a 20-point win in a scrappy, fluctuating grand final rematch at the Gabba.

The Magpies were kept scoreless in the second term but weren't made to pay and the premiers roared back to win 14.8 (92) to 10.12 (72), improving to 3-1 on Thursday night.

Brisbane, who lost by four points to Collingwood at the MCG decider last year, are now 0-3 in their worst start since they lost their first eight games in 2018.

Unbeaten at the Gabba last year, the Lions are 0-2 at the venue in 2024. History is still against both sides, North Melbourne in 1975 the last team to start 0-3 and win the flag.

Brody Mihoceck (three goals), Jamie Elliot (four) and Bobby Hill (three) dangerous while Jack Crisp's long-range effort out of a pack, against the flow, helped extinguish Brisbane's final-quarter charge.

Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury, who has avoided suspension in 387 games, will face scrutiny after his open-handed slap to the stomach of Lachie Neale left the Lions co-captain doubled over in pain.

Last year's Norm Smith Medallist Hill tormented the Brisbane defence again in the first quarter in front of a full house of 34,022 fans.

The Magpies' speed told though, their ball movement too slick and direct as Hill popped up for three of five goals as the visitors threatened to tear the game open.

Dayne Zorko's (30 disposals) lone hand showed the way though and senior teammates Hugh McCluggage and Neale (35 touches, 10 clearances) responded with powerful second quarters to help turn the tide.

But the Lions didn't hit the lead - Neale's the only Brisbane mark inside 50 until late in the half - until Cam Rayner's goal on the siren.

Nick Daicos (30 touches) emerged as a game-breaker as the Pies built a 20-point margin at the final break. The hosts kicked the first two of the final term to get within nine before Collingwood iced the game.

AAP

Could be an interesting one:

"The second quarter looked more like Brisbane Lions brand of footy. We had enough entries to win, but we couldn't turn that into marks and scores. I thought we over-handballed and invited their pressure, and they tackled well.

"I felt tonight we played better than we have all year so far, even though we didn't get the result. We were better in lots of ways tonight.

"We've got a few players who aren't at their best at the moment. That happens in sport, sometimes you go through form slumps.

"There's 20 to go, isn't there? There's a long way to go. We haven't had the start we wanted, and dropped two home games which is very unusual for us. We've got some work to do to find ourselves. There were some good glimpses of that tonight."

They have shown glimpses this season of their very best, but it's only been glimpses. A half against Carlton, a quarter against Fremantle and now a quarter against Collingwood. It's not close to enough.

A glance forward at their fixture is concerning too. Work to do for Chris Fagan and co:

The Magpies champion spoke to Channel Seven after the game about his own improved performance, Collingwood's crucial win and his little incident with Lachie Neale.

"It has been hard to play up here. We haven't won since 2019 up here. So we know it's a tough challenge up here and I was really proud of the second quarter especially. The amount of pressure they put on us. To give up only four goals — in the last few weeks, that would have been eight goals against. So we held up well, and our pressure was great.

"I said sorry to [Neale] after the game. I didn't mean to get him quite there. He said he did the same last year and he got a fine, so what will be will be. The retaliator always gets caught. Mum told me that, and I got sucked in tonight."

The Magpies have come to Brisbane and rediscovered a little bit of themselves again. It wasn't vintage Collingwood, but it was a clear step forward for the reigning premiers. And at the end of the day, all that mattered tonight was getting that win.

Concerns for Brisbane. They dominated the second quarter, and probably should have taken a bigger lead into half-time on the back of that sustained pressure. But outside of that quarter, they couldn't match Collingwood's intensity around the ball or stop them scoring inside 50. The Lions were smashed in the tackles but only won contested ball by one. They dominated inside 50s, but couldn't kick a winning score from them.

The 0-3 Lions will face the scrutiny now, while the 1-3 Magpies will begin plotting their charge back up the ladder.

So it will be sweet relief for Collingwood, who have owned three out of four quarters tonight and will record their first win of the year.

And not a moment too soon.

It's an uncomfortable place to be — just ask Collingwood.

Highly concerning will be the fact they look set to lose both of their first two games at home. The Gabba was a fortress last year, but it suddenly looks breachable.

The Lions' sub is trying to rev his teammates up after nailing that set shot from the pocket. Can't say many of his teammates looked quite as energised.

We've got 5:45 to play and the Lions trail by 21 points. Not impossible.

What a finish from Brody Mihocek! On a night of fantastic snaps, that is the best of the lot. Deep on the boundary and a long way out, he was absolutely flushed that.

The Lions look to be running out of legs just a bit now. The Pies have their tails up and have the biggest lead of the game now. 8:30 to play.

He lives for these moments, and he is delivering in the clutch yet again for the Pies.

Hoskin-Elliott was fantastic in setting that up, beating Fletcher in a one-on-one and bending a perfect pass to the leading Elliott in the pocket. Elliott bent his snap shot back to perfection, and the lead is back out to 20 points.

Zorko took half a step too many, and was crashed into by Elliott. While Zorko was asking the umpire where his prior opportunity was, Elliott was lining up the shot that would Collingwood back up by 15 points.

We're goal for goal here, with 13 minutes to play.

All too easy for Brisbane straight out of the middle. Bailey had the presence of mind to find McCarthy with a little chipped pass inside 50, and the set shot was pure. Straight through the middle, Lions back within nine.

That's how you make an impact coming on as a sub! Half a chance for Jack Crisp, who quickly chucked the ball on his boot from 45 out and watched it sail home.

Collingwood have been incredibly efficient going forward tonight, and it just might win them this game.

Silky skills from Charlie Cameron and Hugh McCluggage, as they combine for the one-two handball through a heavy pack of Pies defenders.

It saw McCluggage burst through the congestion and convert on the run from directly in front. Lions winning the little moments in this last quarter so far. Game right on!

Kai Lohmann has been subbed on for Brisbane, on for Dev Roberston.

How about the no-look handball over the head from big Oscar McInerney? That piece of skill made the goal, and Zac Bailey was able to stroll into an open goal to get the Lions up and running.

Perfect start to the quarter for Brisbane.

Almost every goal tonight has been kicked to that one end, as it was Collingwood's turn to take control back with five goals to one in that term.

The Lions couldn't keep their fanatic pressure at the level they saw in the second, and the Pies were ruthlessly efficient going forward.

It still feels like a seriously tight game, and you have to expect the Lions have another shot left to fire. Stay tuned for a huge last quarter.

Maybe a week for something like that? Was off the ball, before a stoppage. A clean open-hand whack from Pendlebury right to the stomach of Neale, and it took the wind out of the Lion.

The crowd has seen the replay, and aren't too happy with the Magpies vet.

What a turnaround! Collingwood can't put a foot wrong, and straight out of the middle the Pies find another goal.

De Goey really shouldn't have had as much time as he did at half-forward, especially after an initial fumble, but he took his time to work the ball forward by hand, eventually to the running Elliott who is a sublime finisher.