Lions eye top spot after spanking sorry Saints

CAM Rayner's star continued to rise, Ryan Lester celebrated his 200th game in style and Brisbane flexed its premiership credentials, cruising to an 85-point demolition of St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

In what looked a tricky assignment on paper, the Lions played one of their most complete games of the season to crush the Saints 19.10 (124) to 5.9 (39).

SAINTS v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

Brisbane's ninth straight win keeps it in second spot and just half a game behind Sydney ahead of facing GWS, Collingwood and Essendon to round out its home-and-away season.

It was a ruthless performance built on destroying the Saints around the contest.

Led by Rayner, whose ascension to game-changing star continued with three goals from 22 disposals, the Lions won contested possessions (138-97) and clearances (48-27) to give them field position and bankroll victory.

Oscar McInerney easily had the better of his ruck duel with Rowan Marshall, feeding Brisbane's midfield, who made the most of the advantage.

Lachie Neale (33 disposals, 13 clearances) is likely to gather more Brownlow Medal votes, while Hugh McCluggage (28, nine clearances, one goal) and Josh Dunkley (20, seven clearances) were also superb at the coalface.

Brisbane extended its lead at every change, moving the ball swiftly against the usually stingy Saints defence, stretching them from one side of Marvel Stadium to the other.

When St Kilda had the ball, the Lions swarmed in numbers to force turnovers in dangerous positions.

From early in the first quarter until midway through the third, they kicked 10 consecutive goals.

Joe Daniher kicked four goals, and could have finished with more, while Zac Bailey (three), Charlie Cameron, Logan Morris and Callum Ah Chee (two apiece) all chimed in as part of a well-rounded forward line.

After winning five of its past eight games, St Kilda was just never in the contest.

Josh Battle was head and shoulders his team's best player, but with the midfield trounced, it was hard work for forwards and defenders.

Brisbane set the tone in the first quarter, leading the contested possession tally by 14, and with Morris kicking two goals, was able to establish a 15-point lead.

Morris' first goal came following a contested grab in front of Callum Wilkie and his second after flying for a mark and then swooping at ground level to dribble through from close range.

When St Kilda did move the ball forward, either Harris Andrews marked it or Dayne Zorko and Darcy Wilmot scooped up any crumbs at ground level.

The second quarter was just a clinic.

The Lions continued to assert their dominance at stoppages, and with Rayner kicking two goals and being involved in five scoring movements for the term, suddenly the visitors had a 47-point lead.

Their defensive pressure was as good as any stage this season, and the ability to sweep the ball from one end of the ground to the other – never better exemplified than Daniher's third goal – overwhelmed the Saints.

The rise of Rayner continues
Following a quiet first quarter, Cam Rayner broke the game open in the second. He won the first centre clearance that led to a Joe Daniher goal, kicked his own set shot from 45 and then put the icing on the cake with a brilliant individual effort from the right forward pocket, shrugging a defender and executing a super left foot snap. Rayner finished with three goals from 22 disposals to continue an incredible post-bye patch where he has elevated from impact player to game-changing star. 

A new scoring low for the Saints
Against the competition's in-form team, it was never going to be easy for the Saints to score against the Lions. Being bashed around at the contest didn't help, but again it was another example of how St Kilda can struggle to move the ball. With just 39 inside 50s to feed the forwards, they only kicked five goals. Not only was it the lowest score of 2024, but it was the club's lowest against the Lions in history.

Daniher fills the Hipwood void
With Eric Hipwood a late withdrawal through groin soreness, extra responsibility was thrust on the shoulders of Joe Daniher as he was flanked by youngsters Logan Morris and Henry Smith in the key posts. While Morris had a big impact, particularly in the first quarter, it was Daniher who kept the tall Saints defenders accountable with another five-star performance. He threaded a lovely set shot from a tight angle in the first quarter to get on the scoreboard, then added two goals in the second and another in the third. Daniher finished with 4.3 and really could have kicked seven or eight. 

ST KILDA       1.3      1.4      3.7      5.9 (39)
BRISBANE     4.0      9.3      13.6    19.10 (124)

GOALS
St Kilda: Marshall 2, Membrey, Phillipou, Caminiti
Brisbane: Daniher 4, Rayner 3, Bailey 3, Cameron 2, Ah Chee 2, Morris 2, Reville, McCluggage, Fletcher

BEST
St Kilda: Battle, Phillipou, Webster, Sinclair
Brisbane: Rayner, Neale, McCluggage, McInerney, Daniher, Starcevich

INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
Brisbane: Nil

LATE CHANGES
St Kilda: Ryan Byrnes (illness) replaced by Angus McLennan
Brisbane: Eric Hipwood (groin) replaced by Bruce Reville

SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Paddy Dow (replaced Bonner at half-time)
Brisbane: Bruce Reville (replaced Charlie Cameron at three-quarter time)

Crowd: 23,053 at Marvel Stadium