BRISBANE Lions coach Craig Starcevich was pleased his side “got it back into something like normal” as the reigning grand finalists returned to Queensland with four points in the bank from their away trip to Alberton. The Lions proved too strong for second season club Port Adelaide, with 21 scoring shots to six, and putting the game to bed by half-time.

The Lions led by as much as 32 points early in the third term, having slammed home six of the first seven goals. While Port Adelaide did manage to break even in the third, the Season 5 premiers stepped up and settled with a three goals to one final term to win, 11.10 (76) to 4.2 (26).

Though the fast start was evident, Starcevich said there was not particular emphasis on starting that way, but rather following the processes behind it that led to the early game control.

“Not specifically a fast start, but definitely to be aggressive with everything we did and aggression can be in all sorts of ways, winning your ball and taking the risky options at times when they’re on,” he said. “The calculated risk. But also making sure that we’re setting the tone for the day so that was a bit of a theme for the day.”

The overall day saw the Lions dominate possession with a plus-72 in that statistic, as well as a plus-21 inside 50 differential (45-24). Perhaps the most pleasing aspect for the premiership coach was not just what they did with the ball – running at 66 per cent disposal efficiency and 56 per cent efficiency inside 50 – but what they did without it.

The Lions laid 66 tackles to 45 despite having far more of the ball, including a whopping 24 tackles inside 50 to keep the pill firmly lodged inside their forward half.

“More like our brand actually, high pressure and then some speedy ball movement going forward,” Starcevich said of what impressed him the most with the win. “Very, very pleased that we got back to something that looks like us.”

Not one to single out individuals, Starcevich described forward Dakota Davidson‘s performance of 13 disposals, nine marks and four gaols as “one out of the box”, but credited the trio of talls inside 50.

“All three of our tall forwards were good down there today,” he said. Taylor Smith and Analea McKee, and Daks has obviously had one out of the box today. She’s one of the better contested markers in the comp so she took some absolutely amazing grabs, so very, very pleased with her output.”

Clunking several contested marks, Starcevich said Davidson’s work rate really impressed him, and took it upon herself to work back into defence and assist during the third term when Port had the momentum.

“Every forward at that part of the ground should be jumping at their contest,” he said. “When she’s on like that, she’s pretty hard to stop. The other pleasing bit was when we were under the pump a little bit there late in the third quarter, she just drifted down back and stopped a couple as well.”

Along with Davidson, midfielder Ally Anderson also dominated, racking up 36 disposals, seven marks, five clearances and three tackles in a memorable performance.

“She just bobbed up everywhere, Ally,” Starcevich said. “I think she had 18 at half-time and obviously backed it up in the second half. The other two in there Cath (Cathy Svarc) and Belle (Isabel Dawes) were also enormous, they had some roles on the opposition midfield. Ally was the one who got her hands on it and got us going forward and seemed to be in every chain of possession we had going forward.”

The win over Port Adelaide levelled the Lions’ ledger for the 2023 season, albeit from only two games. Next round Brisbane returns home to face the much improved Sydney Swans, as the Lions hope to notch up their first win at the new venue, Brighton Homes Arena in Springfield.