'Flat' Dees 'smashed in coaches box' amid cruel blow; nasty act ...

Perennial contenders collide to open Round 5 but after much different starts to the season, as Brisbane tries to keep its season on track against Melbourne.

The Demons (4-1, 129.4%) have been flying high since their season-opening loss to the Swans, winning consecutive games against the South Australian sides at Adelaide Oval over the past fortnight.

The Lions (1-3, 108.3%) finally got going last week by demolishing lowly North Melbourne, but with a very tricky fixture over the next five weeks, must keep winning to make amends for its slow start to the campaign.

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While Brisbane did make the top four after a 1-3 start in 2021, they have never before made the finals after being 1-4.

Lachie Neale is playing his 250th AFL game.

It is the Lions’ first game back at the MCG since the 2023 Grand Final. They have lost 15 of their last 16 games at the venue, but the lone win was over Melbourne in their 2022 semi-final.

The match gets underway at 7:30pm AEST from the MCG.

Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or using Hubbl from 6:30pm.

LIVE MATCH REPORT

There were no late changes for either side despite concerns of mounting niggles for Clayton Oliver, with Taj Woewodin (Melbourne) and James Tunstill (Brisbane) the subs.

After an early stoppage fiesta — there were wight stoppages in the first minute and a half of the game — the Dees struck first with a beautiful passage of play from a stoppage that led to a goal to Alex Neal-Bullen.

Brisbane then got the quick reply, with Eric Hipwood kicking truly from a set-shot directly in front.

There was a concerning sight five minutes into the game when star Melbourne defender Christian Salem limped off in the hands of trainers. He was then subbed out of the game with a hamstring injury, with Woewodin injected into the game.

And when Steven May gave away a 50m penalty to gift Joe Daniher a goal, the Lions held a seven-point lead.

“This is highly encouraging for Brisbane,” Channel 7’s Alister Nicholson said.

Hipwood responded to a Bayley Fritsch goal with his second major before Daniher added his second as the Lions’ tall forwards fired early to give their side a 14-point quarter-time lead.

Maligned Lion Cameron Rayer had an epic first term, racking up 12 disposals, seven contested possessions, seven inside 50s, six clearances and two goal assists.

There was a touchy moment late in the first quarter, with Charlie Cameron penalised for a dagerous tackle on Melbourne’s Jake Lever. The tackle is likely to draw scrutiny from the Match Review Officer.

A clever goal from Jasper Fletcher followed by a Hugh McCluggage major gave the Lions the ideal start to the second term. And when Cameron booted his first goal, the Lions had established a 32-point lead.

“Melbourne need to sort this out with the uncontested marks,” Channel 7’s Dale Thomas said.

The Dees were held goalless for the entire second quarter, with Brisbane holding a 30-point lead at the major break.

Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna said the Dees “looked flat” in the first half, while four-time premiership Hawk Jason Dunstall said “something has clicked” for Brisbane.

“This isn’t the Brisbane that we’ve seen over the first month of the season,” Dunstall told Fox Footy.

“The work they’re doing around stoppages has been absolutely outstanding, but it’s more than that. They’re well organised behind the ball, the forwards are leading and giving good contests and kicking the goals that should be kicked.”

Fox Footy’s David King added Brisbane’s Chris Fagan had “smashed them (the Dees) in the coaches’ box wth a mid-week plan that has come up trumps”.

Kade Chandler broke Melbourne’s goal drought at the start of the third term, nailing a tight set-shot kick.

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