SUNDAY night felt more like a training run for Brisbane at times, with the 90-point win over Essendon at the Gabba just enough to push the two-time premiers back into the top four.

The Lions made light work of their struggling opponents, leading by 33 points at quarter-time and never looking back on the way to a 22.17 (149) to 8.11 (59) victory.

LIONS v BOMBERS Full match coverage and stats

It was their fifth straight win, and Essendon’s 12th straight defeat, moving Chris Fagan’s men past Adelaide and back into the coveted fourth spot.

The Bombers had just one goal to three-quarter time before piling on seven in the fourth term to limit the final margin.

Brisbane’s midfield paved the way for victory, with Lachie Neale (40 disposals, 13 marks and two assists) and Will Ashcroft (33 and three goals) at the forefront.

Sam Draper was influential against his former club, kicking two goals from 15 touches, including a banana on the run from 40m after a sidestep and fend-off.

Ashcroft and Kai Lohmann (three goals) were among nine multiple goalkickers for the hosts, who travel to Perth to face West Coast before hosting Port Adelaide in the next fortnight.

Essendon was a step off the pace for most of the game, giving the Lions far too much space with the ball and then missing targets when they were able to win it back.

Peter Wright (3.4 from 10 touches) was a dangerous target, while draftee Sullivan Robey (20) continued a fine first season.

Brisbane was in a mood to put the game away early, and after some wayward inside 50 entries in the first 15 minutes, piled on four quick goals late in the first quarter.

Lohmann kicked a couple, Ashcroft uncorked a trademark grab-and-kick from congestion and Hugh McCluggage was welcomed back with a lovely curling finish to open up a match-winning lead.

Essendon afforded the home team far too much space, watching them chip from uncontested mark to uncontested mark.

Zac Bailey put the exclamation point on a 52-point advantage following the half-time siren when he drilled a long-range set shot, to then be mobbed by teammates in a show of excitement for the out of contract free agent.

The Lions looked ruthless in the third term, kicking seven unanswered goals, with Eric Hipwood finding form and co-captain Josh Dunkley flushing one from 50m.

They looked like winning by three digits before the Bombers bounced back with some fourth-quarter fight.

Essendon just might need that AFL assistance package
It’s been a hot topic the past few weeks and there’s little doubt the Bombers should be asking for anything and everything they can get from the AFL come season’s end. The loss against Brisbane was the 29th from their past 30 matches and it was about as uncompetitive as the final margin indicated. The Lions played well, and were hungry, but the combination of youth, lack of confidence and poor skill resulted in a match that was over by quarter-time. 

The 'Magician' returns in style
Following seven weeks on the sideline with a quad injury, Dayne Zorko returned with a bang. The dynamic half-back could not stop finding the ball in the first half, racking up 13 disposals in the opening quarter and 23 by the half, with his final kick finding the chest of Zac Bailey for a goal. Zorko missed a few kicks here and there, but his run and creativity were on full display and a great reminder of how much he adds to the Lions. He finished with 32 touches from 73 per cent gametime.

Draper's dynamic goal
There was always going to be a Sam Draper moment against his former club, and it came in the third quarter with a wonderful individual goal. Draper received a Cam Rayner handball just inside the 50m arc and immediately took off. He stepped off the right foot to beat Darcy Parish, fended off Dyson Sharp and then unleashed a brilliant right foot banana from 40m to bring the house down. In a sign of respect to the Bombers it was an unusually quiet celebration from the big ruckman, but it didn’t stop teammates absolutely mobbing him.

BRISBANE     5.6       9.10     16.14  22.17 (149)
ESSENDON    0.3       1.6       1.9       8.11 (59)

GOALS
Brisbane: Lohmann 3, W.Ashcroft 3, Morris 2, L.Ashcroft 2, Hipwood 2, Cameron 2, Bailey 2, McKenna 2, Draper 2, McCluggage, Dunkley
Essendon: Wright 3, Caddy 2, Kako, McGrath, Durham

BEST
Brisbane: Neale, W.Ashcroft, Rayner, Draper, Gallop, L.Ashcroft, Zorko
Essendon: Wright, Robey, Jones, Durham

INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Essendon: Nil

Crowd: 30,505 at the Gabba