Brisbane break MCG Richmond curse as midfield dominance seals win

Brisbane have finally broken a 15-year hoodoo, defeating Richmond at the MCG for the first time since the 2009 AFL season with a commanding 28-point win on Saturday evening.

Chris Fagan’s side had already exorcised a number of long-standing demons in recent years — from their 15-game losing run to Richmond, to their 11-game MCG drought — but this was the one box left unchecked. Until now.

The reigning premiers took control early and never let up, powering to an 18.10 (118) to 13.12 (90) victory behind a dominant midfield performance and a spread of 11 goalkickers.

Lachie Neale led the charge with 42 disposals and eight clearances, ably supported by Josh Dunkley (30 touches, 10 tackles), Hugh McCluggage (26, two goals), and Will Ashcroft, who added two brilliant majors of his own.

The match wasn’t without its moments for the young Tigers, with Sam Lalor (24 disposals, two goals) and Luke Trainor (19 touches) providing hope for the future. But ultimately, Richmond couldn’t keep up with Brisbane’s polish and firepower.

The Brisbane Lions made an early statement, capitalising on a costly off-ball free kick to Zac Bailey, before slamming on four second-quarter goals to break the game open. A few late Richmond responses trimmed the margin to 21 at half-time, but Brisbane pulled away again in the third through Jarrod Berry, Levi Ashcroft, Charlie Cameron, and Bruce Reville.

Will Ashcroft added the moment of the match with a stunning dribbled goal from the boundary — an early contender for Goal of the Year — as Brisbane pushed the margin to 42 points at three-quarter time, mirroring the lead they famously coughed up to the Tigers at the same venue in 2022. There would be no repeat.

Jaspa Fletcher continued his rise as a dynamic half-back, finishing with 23 disposals and a classy running goal in another standout performance. Charlie Cameron and Eric Hipwood also hit the scoreboard in a game where Brisbane’s depth was on full display.

The Tigers battled gamely and were lifted by a pair of late goals from Harry Armstrong, but the class gap was evident. Kamdyn McIntosh began the night as a loose tag on Neale but couldn’t stop the Brownlow medallist from dominating the contest.

The Lions move to 4-0 and look every bit the side to beat once again in 2025. For Richmond, the rebuild rolls on — but signs from Lalor, Trainor and Armstrong show there’s reason to stay patient.

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