COUNTRY Roads was ringing around the Gabba, Zac Bailey had a day out, Lachie Neale barely fumbled a ball and Brisbane buried Adelaide by 52 points with a vintage performance at the Gabba on Sunday afternoon.

Following a week in which coach Chris Fagan questioned his team's defensive intent, the two-time premiers bared their teeth with a 19.13 (127) to 11.9 (75) rout of the Crows.

LIONS v CROWS Full match coverage and stats

The intensity around the contest and without the ball was obvious from the opening ball-up, and Brisbane's attack flowed off the back of it.

Neale (42 disposals) continued a wonderful season, showing clean hands and creativity in congestions when others fumbled, with his protégé Will Ashcroft (36) also have a major influence.

Charlie Cameron ensured his John Denver goal song was belted out regularly by the 32,629 locals in attendance, booting four the match.

It wasn't just his finishing that impressed, though. Cameron, who has been back to his absolute best in 2026, was relentless as his pressure (five tackles), smothering kicks, spoiling in marking contests, and generally being the livewire that has made him a fan favourite for almost a decade.
 
Zac Bailey (25 and three goals), Josh Dunkley and Levi Ashcroft were also heavily involved.

The Crows were right in the match until midway through the second quarter when Brisbane piled on the final four goals of the half to open a 23-point advantage.

They effectively put the game to bed with seven consecutive goals in the third quarter – amidst a run that saw them kick 12 of 13 – before the visitors fought the game out.

Fagan's moves of putting Conor McKenna as a defensive forward on Wayne Milera and Lincoln McCarthy as a lockdown defender on Izak Rankine typified the Lions' mindset of wanting to slow down the opposition.

Jordan Dawson (28 and two goals) was excellent in his return game following the tragic passing of his brother, while Luke Pedlar (three goals) and Max Michalanney also worked hard.

Fagan had said earlier in the week the Lions would be prioritising defence after conceding 100 points in all three of their 2026 losses, and a lift in intensity was evident.

Cameron set the tone with a smother at half-back, a second effort to knock the ball into space, a third to chase it down, a fourth to sprint away and a fifth to gift a handpass to a gleeful Oscar Allen for a goal.

The livewire followed it up later in the quarter by winning a holding the ball decision and converting his set shot to give the hosts a four-point lead after an entertaining opening quarter.

Adelaide hit the front early in the second after returning skipper Dawson snapped truly, which bought an emotional embrace from the man that gave him the handball, Taylor Walker.

It seemed to kick Brisbane into gear.

McKenna finished accurately with a superb left foot snap before Bailey and Cam Rayner both got into the game with long set shots to finish off a four-goal flurry going into the main break.

Dawson's emotional return
Following a week on the sidelines to deal with personal tragedy, Jordan Dawson made a strong return. Starting in the midfield, the Crows skipper was slow to begin, but built into the contest nicely. His second quarter goal put Adelaide in front and induced an emotional bearhug celebration from Taylor Walker, who had given the handball that led to his goal. Dawson set up a goal for Brayden Cook to start the third and kicked another in the fourth to finish with two goals from 28 touches.

Brisbane might have a new lockdown defender
With Noah Answerth sidelined through concussion, the Lions turned to an unlikely source for his lockdown replacement. Lincoln McCarthy, who has spent most of his career at half-forward, lined up on Izak Rankine at the first bounce and spent the entire game in defence. The 32-year-old trained there in the pre-season, and following some early nerves against his match-winning opponent, settled into the role nicely. Rankine kicked two early goals, but McCarthy fought back strongly to be highly influential with 23 disposals, that included seven intercepts.

Adelaide is now playing catch-up
The heavy defeat came out of nowhere for Adelaide and has dropped them to 3-4 and outside the top 10. Although still missing some key personnel to injury, the Crows have no time to lick their wounds as they prepare for a Friday night Showdown against Port Adelaide. With matches to follow against Richmond and North Melbourne, there's no need to panic yet, but last year's minor premiers have put themselves in a position where they'll be chasing for much of the season.

BRISBANE     4.5       9.8       16.8     19.13 (127)
ADELAIDE     4.1       6.3       7.6       11.9 (75)

GOALS
Brisbane: Cameron 4, Bailey 3, Morris 2, McKenna 2, McCluggage 2, Rayner, Lohmann, Fort, Draper, Allen, W.Ashcroft
Adelaide: Pedlar 3, Rankine 2, Dawson 2, Walker, Thilthorpe, Keays, Cook

BEST
Brisbane: Neale, Cameron, Bailey, W.Ashcroft, Dunkley, McCarthy
Adelaide: Pedlar, Dawson, Michalanney, Milera

INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Adelaide: Nil

Crowd: 32,629 at the Gabba