THE Brisbane Lions fought out one of their most meritorious wins of the season against North Melbourne last night.

The Lions blew the Kangaroos away early and then managed to hold them and run out 31-point winners, despite injuries to key players.

The Gabba crowd was silenced halfway through the third quarter when Jonathan Brown collapsed in pain and went straight into the rooms.

He returned to the field, but was clearly restricted after dominating earlier in the match.

Brown and his forward partner Daniel Bradshaw finished with six goals each to enhance their status as one of the league's most lethal attacking combinations alongside Hawthorn's Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead.

The Kangaroos looked solid early in the first quarter, but after Lion Joel Macdonald thwarted what looked a certain goal to Corey Jones, the Lions seized control.

Brown stamped his presence from the outset, repeatedly outpointing the undersized Josh Gibson with five scoring shots for the quarter, while Bradshaw kicked another to put the Lions clear at quarter-time.

With 11 shots to two for the quarter, however, the lead should have been much greater. Brown hit the post twice from acute angles and Jed Adcock, Ash McGrath and Tim Notting also missed opportunities.

Things started to look ominous for the Roos early in the second quarter, with Bradshaw and Brown kicking their second and third goals respectively from marks inside 50 metres, forcing their opponents, Gibson and Michael Firrito, to switch their match-ups.

But what should really make the competition take notice was the delivery they received. The Lions' play off half-back and through the centre was fast, direct and confident.

Jamie Charman, Simon Black, Luke Power and Adcock may not be the most youthful or glamorous starting midfield in the competition, but they are among the most consistently effective.

Black, especially, is in scintillating form, while Travis Johnstone, Anthony Corrie, Michael Rischitelli, Notting and a rejuvenated Justin Sherman comprise a more than handy back-up division.

Sherman, out of favour earlier in the season, fought an enthralling duel with Brent Harvey all night.

Both players kicked a couple of second-quarter goals, and Harvey lifted in the second term to pull his side back into the game.

But the Lions steadied, increasing their lead to 40 points by half-time as Bradshaw and Brown continued to terrorise the Roos' back line — the latter with 3.5 for the half from 10 possessions and seven marks.

Three of his misses hit the post.

In the third quarter, the Lions began to rue that inaccuracy as the Kangaroos made the most of their chances to mount a determined charge.

Daniel Pratt nailed a raking shot from beyond the 50 arc, Hamish McIntosh and Drew Petrie kicked a couple more, and Harvey curled in a ripper from the ground's toughest pocket.

Then came the moment of the match when Brown went down after a marking contest clutching his lower left leg.

He was taken straight off the ground and up the race, joining Joel Patfull and Jason Roe, and the Lions were rattled.

Matt Campbell and Petrie reduced the difference to 19 points, but Bradshaw's fifth gave the Lions a 25-point buffer at the last change.

Patfull and Brown make courageous returns to the field, although Brown was clearly inconvenienced.

The big man underlined his reputation as among the game's most courageous players, sealing the game with his sixth goal in the last quarter.


BRISBANE LIONS 4.7 11.12 15.17 18.21 (129)
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.2 6.2 12.3 15.8 (98)
GOALS Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 6, Brown 6, Sherman 2, Charman, Corrie, Johnstone, Notting. North Melbourne: Campbell 3, Harvey 3, Petrie 3, Hale, Harris, Jones, McIntosh, McMahon, Pratt.
BEST: Brisbane Lions: Black, Brown, Power, Bradshaw, Notting. North Melbourne: Simpson, Pratt, Rawlings, McIntosh, Harris, Harding.
INJURIES: Brisbane Lions: Roe, McGrath, Drummond (hamstring), Brown (knee).
UMPIRES: Rosebury, Armstrong, McInerney.
CROWD: 22,118 at the Gabba.

THE UPSHOT
THIS shaped as a vital test for both teams. The Lions haven't really beaten much yet and their five wins include gutsy but lucky victories against Collingwood and Port Adelaide. The Kangaroos remain tough and dependable, but it's still doubtful whether they can build on last year's efforts.

TALKING POINT
A HUSH fell over the Gabba when Jonathan Brown clutched his knee after he flew for a mark halfway through the third quarter. He said later he hyper-extended it.

HOT AND COLD
JONATHAN Brown's goalkicking. The key forward kicked beautifully all night but finished with 5.7, hitting the post three times, with another shot touched on the line. Corey Jones and Nathan Thompson were cold as ice for the Kangaroos with only one goal between them.