1. Perfect one day, pouring the next
Ah, Queensland. Brisbane was a beautiful 28 degrees on Saturday before conditions turned a little rough in the early hours of Sunday. By the time the sun came out in the third quarter, almost 15 millimetres had soaked the city, requiring the covers to be placed over the Gabba's centre wicket area before the match. The rain was probably nightmare stuff for the Lions' coaching group given they entered the match ranked 18th for contested possessions versus the Swans, ranked first for the same stat. For the record, the Lions finished the day with 168 contested possessions (40 above their average) to the Swans' 187 (25 above theirs).
2. A roaring start followed by a Swans burst
On a sodden Gabba, it was obvious the Lions needed to start strongly against the contested ball kings, and they managed to do just that. It took just three minutes for the hometown boys to kick the opening two goals of the match, winning both centre clearances and notching the first four inside 50s before the Swans had barely touched it. The Swans found a way into the game and had it not been for a four-minute, three-goal burst at the end of the quarter by the Sydneysiders, including some Buddy brilliance from the boundary, we could well be talking about a different result.
3. Bad kicking is …
It's a common refrain this season when it comes to the Brisbane Lions. More than once in 2016 the Lions have done all the hard work only for bad kicking in front of goal to undo their chances. While some credit must go to the Swans for putting pressure on the Lions in this one, clear chances still went begging, particularly when bringing the footy inside 50. The decision to rest the sure boot of Josh Schache must have crossed Justin Leppitsch's mind once or twice throughout the afternoon, especially as the Lions searched for a target in the desperate last minutes of the match.
4. Was Buddy robbed a goal?
It can only be said one way: the AFL must spend some of its massive broadcast bounty on goalline technology. It must. Lance Franklin's five goals probably proved the difference on the day, but the big Bud could feel aggrieved he didn't end the day with one more goal to his name. Franklin had a set shot from the boundary, twenty metres out – a right-foot snap, if you don't mind – called touched by the goal umpire, which for all we know was the right call. But the ensuing review with pictures from camera angles a mile away shone no light on the call at all. It's been said before, but in a game so rich and with so much at stake, surely, surely the time is right to have uniform technology at all AFL venues across the land. The superstar Swan, meanwhile, moved into 17th on the all-time goalkickers list, with his five majors taking him to 729 in his 227-game career, leapfrogging Peter Hudson and Wayne Carey who each finished their careers on 727.
5. The first gamers
Both sides featured players running out for their first AFL games, with the Swans debuting Sudanese-born youngster Aliir Aliir and the Lions handing a guernsey to academy draftee Ben Keays. It was an apt setting for each to begin his career, with both lads representing Queensland in junior football. Aliir spent the day in a key defensive post, and while he finished with just six touches, he looked poised throughout, spoiling and contesting well. Keays, a regular at Lions matches before he was added to the club's list, gathered five kicks and six handballs and a goal, mainly playing forward. And just one game into his AFL career, it seems Aliir has joined that select group of AFL players who have their entire name called out every time they go near the pill, linking him with the players such as Eddie Betts, Nat Fyfe and former Swan Mike Pyke.
