1. Big, big sound from the west of the town
With Adelaide's upset loss to Hawthorn, the GIANT win over the Brisbane Lions is more than a handy percentage boost. The GIANTS now go one game clear on top of the ladder, and have started to eat away at the big percentage gap between themselves and the Crows. The win was set up off a dominant nine-goal third term, with the GIANTS' talented forward line too strong for the young Lions defence. Jeremy Cameron's four goals also saw him leap Buddy Franklin into top spot in the race for the Coleman medal. He now sits three goals clear of the Swan.
2. Shiel celebrates century in style
In a star-studded line-up, Dylan Shiel is one of the GIANTS' very best. In his 100th game, the gun midfielder sometimes appeared to be in several places at once, such was his dominance. He kicked the opening goal and had 13 touches by quarter-time. Shiel controlled an undermanned Lions midfield and was seemingly given free rein to do what he pleased. He finished the match with 38 disposals and eight clearances. By contrast, fellow milestone teammate Heath Shaw (playing game 250), was very quiet by his standards with just nine touches.
3. Yet another injury blow for Beams
Brisbane Lions captain Dayne Beams could once again be set for a stint on the sidelines after injuring his shoulder in the opening minute of the match. The vital midfielder's left shoulder bore the full weight of the GIANT Shane Mumford in a fair collision. Beams left the ground cradling his arm in his guernsey, before taking a spot on the bench wearing a sling and a very glum expression for nearly the entirety of the match. His leadership and skill were sorely missed.
4. The Disappearing Zorko
Brisbane Lions' midfield king Dayne Zorko has been in excellent touch over the past month and is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves. But with greater plaudits comes greater attention, and Zorko was heavily tagged by Sam Reid against the GIANTS. Without the support of his fellow Dayne (Beams), Zorko struggled and was barely sighted. He had just five disposals, and not one touch after half-time. Zorko has averaged 27 disposals and at least one goal a game this season. It's safe to say he had an absolute nightmare.
5. Surprisingly fiery clash
The first half of the match was a much more heated affair than the final margin suggested. Nick Robertson, who's quickly developing a reputation for filling almost-namesake Mitch Robinson's spot as chief antagonist, went head-to-head with Toby Greene. It was a question of who was going to annoy each other more in the first quarter, with constant hassling, holding and the occasional bout of wrestling. The two finished their final spar in the last quarter with an inexplicable high-five. They weren't the only ones, with Shane Mumford throwing his considerable weight around, while Archie Smith lost his jumper in a second-quarter push-and-shove. The Lions were not going to lie down quietly.
