Lions Roar Loud Without Key Tall in Dangerfield’s Milestone Clash
What a night down at GMHBA Stadium — and what a storyline unfolding between Geelong and Brisbane. The Cats came into this Round 15 blockbuster with high emotion, as their skipper Patrick Dangerfield laced up for his incredible 350th AFL game. But while the spotlight was on one of the game's modern greats, it was the Lions who made the early statement — despite facing a late shake-up of their own lineup.
In a dramatic pre-match twist, Brisbane’s Darcy Gardiner was pulled from the team just an hour before the bounce due to illness. He was initially set to replace the injured Jack Payne, who’s been sidelined long-term with a knee issue. That left the Lions thin down back, and Bruce Reville was called in as the late sub. It wasn’t an ideal scenario heading into one of the toughest road trips in footy — Kardinia Park — a venue Brisbane hasn’t conquered in over two decades.
On the other side, Geelong had to cope with their own defensive loss. Sam De Koning was ruled out for four to five weeks due to a shoulder injury sustained against Essendon. His spot was filled by Ollie Henry, who started as Geelong’s sub, indicating some shuffling in the Cats' structure.
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From the opening siren, Brisbane came to play. Cam Rayner got things rolling with the first goal, and from there, the Lions pressed hard. By quarter-time, they had a 17-point buffer, leading 4.2 to 1.3. The Cats missed their chances in front of goal — Jack Martin and Patrick Dangerfield among the culprits — and that inaccuracy came back to bite.
Midway through the game, Brisbane continued to turn the screws. Logan Morris became a real threat up forward, kicking multiple goals and blowing the margin out to over five goals. Geelong looked flat-footed at times, with the Lions dominating inside 50s, centre clearances, and laying serious pressure — an area they were criticised for just a week ago.
Even with all eyes on Dangerfield, who had some early impact but couldn’t quite find his radar, the Cats struggled to rally. The Lions, on the other hand, looked like a team on a mission to end their Kardinia Park curse.
You have to feel for Dangerfield — 350 games is a mighty achievement, and ideally, he’d be celebrating it with a victory lap. But credit to Brisbane: undermanned, under pressure, and away from home, yet still delivering a clinical performance.
As the game goes on, one thing is clear: this isn’t just a tough night for Geelong — it’s a reality check. For Brisbane, this might be the springboard they’ve needed after back-to-back losses. They’ve turned up, despite adversity, and shown the rest of the comp they’re not to be counted out just yet.
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