IT MIGHT have been a fizzer of a Q-Clash for the neutrals, but Brisbane Lions coach Craig Starcevich came away a happy man after his side crushed Queensland rivals Gold Coast Suns by 68 points at People First Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Lions won 11.17 (83) to 2.3 (15) to make it three straight wins since running into North Melbourne four weeks ago. While the victories over Western Bulldogs, Richmond and Gold Coast – all tipped to be bottom six sides – are not necessarily anything to brag about, Starcevich said it was the manner of which the team went about the victories.

“We’ve been building for a couple of weeks now,” he said. “We’re starting to definitely move the ball quickly and aggressively. Our pressure was really high tonight, even in the third quarter when it was a little bit of a stalemate, we were up by 40 in pressure which was really good. Some of our mojo around stifling the opposition was back tonight and being able to move the ball quickly was impressive as well.”

Brisbane sits at 5-3 for the season, but the three defeats have come to top four sides in North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Carlton, while Adelaide (seventh) has been its sole top eight victory this season. However the signs were promising against the Suns, and Starcevich detailed a few key focuses for his team coming up against younger, rebuilding sides.

“Our aggression around the ball and the opposition’s opportunities to move it back against us, and what that looks like,” he said of the main focus heading into the recent matches. “So in recent weeks we’ve been very good at stopping opposition ball movement from one end of the ground to the other, so that’s something we want to continue with, because our times in the past we’ve been opened up a little bit particularly against the high-end teams as you say.

“That’s something that’s a bit of a by-product of what we’re trying to do with ball movement, so being able to defend the ground as well has been really important for us. In recent times they had five scoring shots tonight from not many entries, so when they got their chance they scored which is not great, but preventing them not getting there in the first place is the first piece in the puzzle.”

Courtney Hodder was awarded the best afield honours after 4.2 from 18 disposals and eight tackles in a performance that impressed the coach.

“Yeah that’s one of her better ones, I’m not sure she’s kicked four in a game before and she could have maybe kicked six,” Starcevich said. “We need probably three of her at the moment just to sprinkle her around the field the way she goes about it. She’s been superb, she’s quick and nimble, and skilful and aggressive with her defence. She brings a lot to the table in that regard.”

Running defender Jade Ellenger got off the chain in a huge one-on-one win over Niamh McLaughlin who it looked like was doing a job on her. However Starcevich said he’d “be surprised” if someone of “that calibre” was sent to do a run-with role. Ellenger racked up 21 disposals, six marks, five tackles, seven intercepts and provided plenty of drive down the field.

“The pressure that we had around the ball in the front half meant that they were dumping it out of their defensive half and it was just landing in Jade’s arms a lot of the night,” Starcevich said. “Having said that, she’s an excellent reader of what’s going on, and if she can pick one off, she’ll be aggressive with her run and send it back in pretty deep, so she’s had a great game tonight.”

A great challenge awaits for Brisbane next week when the Lions tackle Port Adelaide at Brighton Homes Arena. While the 11th placed Power have been a little “up and down”, Starcevich said his side always prepared as if the opposition brought its best football.

“Port are having some great weeks and they’re having some weeks where they’re a little bit up and down at the moment as well, so we always come into these games expecting the best of the opposition,” Starcevich said.

“Gold Coast were a little bit the same, they had a really good week against Adelaide a couple of weeks ago and then dropped away last week so we were expecting a bounce that way and it’s the same with a team like Port. I think it’s a bit of a function of these clubs being quite young that you get fluctuations in form. When all the young ones play well you better look out because they’re talented, so that’s how we’ll go into the game against Port.”

The Brisbane Lions coach said his team was “working on” being able to adapt to anyone regardless of the challenge, and that the competition – outside of North Melbourne – was incredibly even in 2025.

“There’s one team in the comp that are doing things really, really well so we’re all aspiring to get to their level, but also have a style that’ll match up and hold up against that team, so that’s where we’re coming from,” he said. “We’re trying to layer little bits and pieces on top of what we normally do to try and cope with that.”