Brisbane Lions Snap Five-Game Skid With Gritty 16-Point Win Over Port Adelaide

The streak is over. After five agonizing weeks of near-misses, mounting pressure, and a slow slide down the ladder, the Brisbane Lions finally broke through on Saturday afternoon. They ground out a hard-fought 16-point victory over Port Adelaide at Brighton Homes Arena, proving they still have plenty of fight left in their 2026 campaign.[1][2]

Port Adelaide arrived in Queensland desperate to solidify their spot in the top eight and push toward a maiden finals berth. The Lions were fighting simply to salvage pride and snap a slump that had threatened their season. The 5.4 (34) to 2.6 (18) triumph breathes life back into a squad that desperately needed a win.[1][2]

Brisbane set the tone immediately in the cool, windy Springfield conditions. They slammed home the first three goals of the match, building a critical early buffer that the visitors would spend the rest of the afternoon fruitlessly trying to close. It was exactly the kind of ruthless, front-running start the Lions had been missing.[1]

Coming up against a formidable Port Adelaide engine room featuring Matilda Scholz, Abbey Dowrick, and Ash Woodland, the Lions' midfield dug in for a physical battle. Belle Dawes and Ally Anderson were immense around the contest, absorbing the pressure and helping Brisbane edge the crucial clearance count 24-20. That slight advantage at the coalface provided the platform for victory.[1]

It was a fitting result for a pair of Brisbane stalwarts. Dual premiership players Charlie Mullins and Jenn Dunne celebrated their 50th AFLW games, and the squad clearly wanted to ensure the milestone was marked with a win. The defensive intensity matched the occasion, restricting Port Adelaide to just two goals for the entire match.[2]

Port Adelaide kept pressing in the second half, but the Lions' ball movement in the tricky conditions ultimately proved the difference. A composed chain of chip-and-mark possession in the final term neutralized the visitors' pressure. That sequence set up Shanae Davison for the sealing goal, putting the result beyond doubt and sparking celebrations on the bench.[1][2]

Despite the loss, Port Adelaide provided the undisputed moment of the match. Ruck Matilda Scholz took flight over a pack to pull down a stunning Mark of the Year contender, a rare highlight on a frustrating afternoon for the South Australians. Neither coach was immediately available for comment post-match, but the relief for Brisbane was palpable.[1]

Elsewhere in Round 10, reigning premiers North Melbourne maintained their iron grip on the top spot with a gritty win over Essendon. The Bombers stayed close until well into the third term at Windy Hill. However, the Kangaroos ultimately ramped up their pressure to shake off the plucky hosts and secure another four points.[6]

Over in the west, Geelong delivered a brutal reality check to the West Coast Eagles. The Cats powered to a massive 53-point victory, 8.18 (66) to 1.7 (13), at Sullivan Logistics Stadium. Georgie Prespakis was unstoppable, racking up 39 possessions in a midfield masterclass that emphatically ended West Coast's hopes of a second straight finals campaign.[3]

The heavy defeat came just a day after West Coast announced a major off-field boost, securing senior coach Daisy Pearce on a two-year contract extension through 2028. While the finals door has closed for 2026, the Eagles clearly believe the AFLW icon is the right person to guide their ongoing rebuild.[4]

The biggest shock of the weekend came at Henson Park, where the GWS Giants upset Hawthorn by a single point. In a match celebrating Tilly Lucas-Rodd's 100th game, the Giants hung on in a thriller after Georgia Garnett took a clutch late mark. Hawthorn's leading goalkicker Aine McDonagh missed a crucial shot with just 23 seconds left.[5]

That dramatic miss leaves the Hawks stranded in ninth place on percentage, throwing the lower half of the top eight into chaos. As the dust settles on a pivotal weekend, the ladder is taking its final shape heading into the last two rounds of the home-and-away season.[5]

Brisbane will try to continue their late-season surge when they travel to RSEA Park to take on St Kilda next Saturday. Port Adelaide, meanwhile, faces a short six-day turnaround to fix their forward-line woes. They host Collingwood in a massive Friday night blockbuster at Alberton Oval.[1]