THE Brisbane Lions staged a remarkable comeback to beat Port Adelaide by 20 points at AAMI Stadium last night.

Down 47 points 23 minutes into the third term, and trailing by 33 at three-quarter time, the Lions charged home — kicking 9.6 to 1.1.

When the Power again raised the hopes of their fans of ending their 0-3 shocking start to the season, by getting back to within seven points in the dying minutes, Jonathan Brown demonstrated the leadership that Port was lacking and sealed a most unlikely victory with a goal.

Port's dismal start to the season was furthered soured with a serious ankle injury to Matt Thomas, who may miss five or six weeks.

Pre-match, Brisbane received a huge blow when ruckman Jamie Charman withdrew because of a calf strain, and was replaced by Wayde Mills, for just his 16th game since 2006.

The forced change seemed to prove a telling factor. Port was expected to be stronger in ruck through Dean Brogan and Brendon Lade, but when 19-year-old Matthew Leuenberger, playing his 13th match, was given the big challenge, it became a bigger advantage.

The young Lion did a terrific job under the circumstances, but he was also expected to drop back and work across half-back, and then follow the ball, and Port unmercifully wore him down.

Such was the pressure on Brisbane in this area that coach Leigh Matthews threw Brown on to the ball — opposed to Chad Cornes — to add some strength to the midfield just 12 minutes into the game when Port led 4.2 to a behind.

It seemed like an early panic move by Matthews, but Brown's stint had some impact, albeit absent from the scoreboard.

Another big problem for Brisbane was the profound impact David Rodan was having on the game. He ran amok in the first quarter with 12 disposals, and unlike the previous week when he also started well, the effort was sustained longer.

Something that wasn't different to Port's six-point loss to Adelaide was its intensity, and as much as the Lions would have been ready for it, they still seemed stunned. The pace was ferocious, especially the way Port moved the ball quickly from the back line through the centre of the ground.

With Port's rucks dominating, Cornes threatening, and its smaller midfielders causing havoc, there were ominous signs early that it would prevail. Yet, for all this might, and times huffing and puffing, it was never easy for the Power.

Brisbane simply hurt its chances with poor skills under pressure, and with sheer determination, an amazing will to win, it resurfaced to snare a gripping victory.

A defining moment late in the first quarter saw Nigel Lappin work hard to snatch the ball off Port defender Toby Thurstans and race to an open goal, only to be caught by Steven Salopek. He is not often caught, but he should have handballed, and instead Port was rewarded for its tenacity.

Port worked the ball down and goaled when it shouldn't have — the ball wobbled into the goal umpire standing in front of the goal post, and rather than be a behind, the ball then deflected across the line for a goal.

The cruel fate for Brisbane meant that, instead of kicking a goal, it had a a dubious one paid against, and instead of trailing at quarter-time by 14, it was 25 behind.

Throughout the second quarter the margin remained — until another cruel twist of fate. Travis Johnstone inexplicably short-passed and found Danyle Pearce, who goaled from 50 metres after the siren to give Port a 35-point half-time lead.

The mistakes under pressure allowed Pearce, and players like him who had been down, to work their way back into form. Well, it seemed like that — until the last quarter.

Reminiscent of the Brisbane of old, it fought back courageously, stunning the disappointing crowd of 25,205.

From being 47 points down late in the third term, the Lions led by seven points 20 minutes into the last. It was an amazing turnaround speared by a run of 8.2 to nothing.

Simon Black, Johnstone, Brown and Daniel Bradshaw were the stars in the Lions' remarkable win.

BRISBANE LIONS 2.2 4.6 9.10 18.16 (124)
PORT ADELAIDE 6.3 10.5 15.7 16.8 (104)
GOALS: Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 5, Brown 4, Corrie, Mills, Black, Rischitelli, Adcock, Notting, Johnstone, Stiller, Hooper. Port Adelaide: C Cornes 2, Tredrea 2, Rodan 2, Surjan 2, Westhoff, Brogan, S Burgoyne, K Cornes, Cassisi, Salopek, Pearce, Ebert.
BEST Brisbane Lions: Black, Brown, Johnstone, Macdonald, Power, Bradshaw, Sherman. Port Adelaide: Salopek, C Cornes, P Burgoyne, Surjan, Rodan.
INJURIES: Brisbane Lions: Charman (calf) replaced in selected side by Mills. Port Adelaide: Thomas (torn ligaments, left ankle).
UMPIRES Margetts, H Ryan, S Ryan.
CROWD 25,205 at AAMI Stadium.

THE UPSHOT
This loss may well ruin Port's season. It's facing a mixed draw — and after West Coast (Subiaco) and St Kilda (home), it plays Hawthorn (Aurora), Sydney (home) and Fremantle (Subiaco), Carlton (home) and Geelong (Skilled).

TALKING POINT
Port is now 0-4. Can the grand finalist make the finals? How could a side that was desperate for a win go so defensive and throw away a 47-point lead to lose by 20?

HOT AND COLD
Jonathan Brown was quiet and then came alive in the last quarter, while the Port forwards looked awake but then fell asleep.