Brisbane just reminded the league why it remains the team to beat in 2026.
Chris Fagan's men downed Hawthorn by 67 points on Friday night at the Gabba, with the Lions' new look forward mix of Logan Morris (four goals), Eric Hipwood (two), Oscar Allen, Kai Lohmann (five) and Charlie Cameron (three) running rampant.
Lohmann in particular produced arguably a career-best performance as his hot run of form continued. The 23-year-old small forward - despite standing at 6'1 - was electric for the Lions, kicking 5.2 from 24 disposals as he moved to equal eighth on the Coleman Medal with teammate Cameron on 46 goals for the season.
Fagan was full of praise for Lohmann post-match.
"I thought Kai Lohmann's performance tonight was one of the (most) special games I've ever seen a small forward play," Fagan said.
"He got a lot of the ball, his tackle pressure was sensational and he kicked five goals so it was a pretty good night for him too.
"He just has his pressure right. He doesn't have to worry about doing those freakish things, they just happen. When he focuses entirely on putting pressure on, his game seems to come together.
"Every now and then I threaten to put him on the wing. He doesn't want to play there, so I say it occasionally and it makes him play better as a forward."
Having recruited Allen from West Coast during the off-season, and with Hipwood returning from an ACL injury mid-year, Friday night was one of the first times Fagan got to witness what his new forward line mix could bring.
And the two-time premiership coached liked what he saw.
"I liked it, I liked it," he said.
"I thought Oscar didn't have a lot of the ball but that is often what happens when you have three of them there. Between them they caused a bit of chaos, the ball hit the deck and the lads up there did a pretty good job of cleaning it up when it did.
"I like what I saw with it tonight, because (the Hawks) are a good defence and they struggled with us tonight."
One of the highlights of the night came in the dying stages when veteran, and perennial one-year contract player, Ryan Lester kicked a rare goal thanks ruck Sam Draper dishing off inside 50.
It was Lester's 250th match and only the 49th goal of his career. There were celebrations on the ground and in the stands when the 33-year-old booted the goal in his milestone game. And his coach loved the scenes.
"I will replay it about five times I reckon," Fagan said with a grin.
"That will go down as one of my favourite ever moments of coaching the Brisbane Lions. When Sam Draper had the presence of mind to actually give him the ball and let him kick a goal on his 250th. I thought that was just so good.
"We were in control of the game so you can have a little bit more fun then, I just thought that was great. Lester and Jarrod Berry (200th game) have just been such great servants to our footy club.
"They are both role players. They don't often get a lot of the glory, but for Frog to get that at the end that will no doubt be in the highlights package on Monday."
