Brisbane's second win of the season was as damning as any game this year, sending fears into the rest of the competition.
Facing an in-form Melbourne outfit on the dreaded MCG (given history), all signs pointed to the Lions heading to a 1-4 record amid a catastrophic response to making the grand final in 2023.
However, following a thumping 70-point victory over North Melbourne, Chris Fagan's men wanted to continue the positive turnaround and it was evident as soon as the ball bounced on Thursday night.
MORE: Melbourne's poor performance attributed to Lions, not short breaks
And when a team's on, you can sense it.
By the end of the evening, Brisbane led the disposal count (376-313), inside 50s (58-50), clearances (44-35) despite losing the hit outs comprehensively (58-27), contested possession (134-121) but most "pleasing" for Fagan, the tackles (82-53).
"It was really pleasing," Fagan said post-game.
"Double travel for us and the big challenge of playing Melbourne here on their home ground and been in great form, so I feel like that's one of the best games we've played in a long time.
"It was a pretty special sort of effort, particularly on Lachie Neale's 250th.
"I've never seen us tackle so well, it dropped away in the last quarter when we got a bit tired but our first three quarters was awesome."
The Lions put the cue in the rack during the final term, with a game-high margin getting out to 49 points until a few consolation goals from Melbourne brought it back to a respectable margin.
Neale, who led the way on the night, amassing 24 disposals and eight clearances, had done a power of work to overcome an ankle injury sustained against Collingwood two weeks ago to be fit for the crucial clash.
"He hurt his ankle a few weeks ago, and he gave it another little tweak last week and we only had six days of getting it right, so our medical team did a great job and Lachie did a great job himself," Fagan said of his co-captain.
"He's one of the toughest players I've ever come across I think in footy, he was so determined to play, did everything to get his ankle right during the week, and he's done that a couple of weeks in a row now."
Neale was supported by former Pick 1 Cam Rayner, whose opening term set the scene for the Lions, and was just as instrumental in the club's second win of the season.
A MIGHTY quarter from Cam Rayner!
12 disposals
7 contested possessions
7 inside 50s
6 clearances
2 goal assists#AFLDeesLions pic.twitter.com/wBRb3Ep7OT— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 11, 2024
"Rayner, it was exciting to see, wasn't it?" Fagan said.
"I think he was a bit disappointed with his game last week, he's probably one of our few players who was a little bit quiet against North (Melbourne), so he was keen to step up."
Charlie Cameron's return to form will make opposition defenders squirmish while Jarrod Berry's role on Christian Petracca was the unheralded performance of the night.
Despite the resounding victory, the club will likely have to answer for defender Noah Answerth's "crybaby" taunt directed at Harrison Petty.
A look at this interaction between Noah Answerth and Harrison Petty...#AFLDeesLions pic.twitter.com/pSRi64ATb5
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 11, 2024
With the game well and truly done, Answerth was seen teasing Petty after a miss at goal.
Former captain Dayne Zorko spoke toย ABC post-game,ย saying: "I'll probably go have a word to (Answerth). That's obviously not the way we want to win.
"Heat of the moment, stuff happens. I'm sure he'd have fixed it up after the game."
The simmering feud between the two clubs has boiled at the surface since late in 2022, when Petty copped a sledge from Zorko, which is believed to be about the former's mother, leaving him in tears.
Melbourne defender Jake Lever commented on the act, saying it has no place in the game.
I don't think it's part of the game now,โ Lever told Channel 7.
โHe (Petty) had a tough time up there a few years ago (when Zorko made the comments) and as a player, you don't know what others are going through.
โI think footy's cleaned up that sort of act.โ
While theย AFLย may look to question Answerth's intention, they will almost certainly look atย Charlie Cameron's dump tackle onย Jake Lever.
Jake Lever was awarded a free kick following this Charlie Cameron tackle.#AFLDeesLions pic.twitter.com/bSC9rIKfGD
— AFL (@AFL) April 11, 2024
In the first quarter, Cameron is seen lifting his former teammate off the ground, driving his head into the ground.
The umpire awarded Lever the free kick and he played out the remainder of the match.
Brisbane will head to the Gabba for the first time since Round 3, hosting Geelong on Saturday, April 20.