North Melbourne has been defeated by 108 points at the Gabba, outmuscled by an experienced Brisbane Lions team.

The match loomed as the Kangaroos’ sternest test so far this season, having faced Hawthorn in the season opener and hosted West Coast after the Eagles were forced to make 14 changes, 12 of them on account of the AFL health and safety protocols.

Unlike their slow starts in wins against Port Adelaide and Essendon, the Lions smelt blood early, slamming home seven first-quarter goals to set the tone for a 23.18 (156) to 7.6 (48) romp.

LIONS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

They were unrelenting until the final siren, bookending the match with another nine goals in the final term to crack the century margin.

It was both the biggest win and highest score kicked by the Lions in Chris Fagan's six-year tenure as coach.

Brisbane played quick and precise football, moving it swiftly at every opportunity and overwhelming North with skill and overlap run.

Lincoln McCarthy kicked five goals in a career-best outing, Zac Bailey added four, Joe Daniher three and only poor goalkicking stopped Charlie Cameron (2.6) from having a huge night.

The Lions finished with 11 goalkickers and at times were raffling their chances as players queued up to add their name to the list.

The Kangaroos were error-prone with the ball and far too loose defensively without it, allowing Brisbane to pick them apart with surgical kicking that changed angles and created all sorts of space inside forward 50.

Captain Dayne Zorko (31 disposals) flourished at half-back, Hugh McCluggage (29) was busy and Jarryd Lyons (28, two goals and four assists) was damaging in the forward half.

Fresh off his marvellous 41-disposal, two goal outing against the Bombers, Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale (27) had a comparatively quieter night but still played a significant role.

When North did get their hands on the ball, which they did enough in the first half and still won the clearance count 46-39, they often took poor options, opening the door for Marcus Adams and Harris Andrews to intercept at will.

Brisbane stormed to a 55-point lead midway through the second quarter before some ill-discipline brought North back into the game before the main break.

The second half was one way traffic though.

X marks the spot

Having wrested the primary ruck mantle over the summer, Tristan Xerri franked his form with five clearances, eight tackles and a match-high 26 hitouts. The 23-year-old won four hitouts to advantage in the first quarter and a half, demonstrating his capacity to connect with his teammates. 

More improvement for JHF

In just his third career game, Jason Horne-Francis showed just why he was taken at No.1 in the draft. David Noble plonked the South Australian in the centre square for much of the night and the 18-year-old delivered, fighting against the tide to finish with 21 disposals and a match-high seven clearances. Horne-Francis was clean with his hands, used the ball well by foot and was a shining light on a dark night.

What’s next?

North Melbourne will travel to Sydney to take on the Swans. John Longmire’s men were beaten by the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night, but won well over Greater Western Sydney and Geelong in the first two rounds. The Swans won by 14 points when the sides last met, at Marvel Stadium in the penultimate round of 2021. The opening bounce at the SCG next Saturday afternoon is at 2:40pm AEST.

BRISBANE                     7.2  11.6   14.13  23.18  (156)
NORTH MELBOURNE    2.2   5.3     6.5      7.6     (48)

GOALS 
Brisbane: McCarthy 5, Bailey 4, Daniher 3, Cameron 2, Lyons 2, McStay 2, Ah Chee, Cockatoo, Fort, McInerney, Robinson
North Melbourne: Larkey 2, Goldstein, Hall, Polec, Powell, Taylor

BEST  
Brisbane: Zorko, McCarthy, Bailey, Adams, McCluggage, Lyons, Andrews
North Melbourne: Simpkin, Horne-Francis, Xerri

INJURIES  
Brisbane: Nil
North Melbourne: McKay (quad)

SUBSTITUTES  
Brisbane: Harry Sharp (unused)
North Melbourne: Aiden Bonar (replaced McKay in the fourth quarter)