Legend’s swansong derailed as ‘roaring’ Lions into fifth-straight prelim
Brisbane burst out the gates with five unanswered goals in the first four minutes and never took the foot off the gas pedal in a dominant showing against Adelaide in front of a home crowd at the Gabba.
Claiming a clinical 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91) victory over a lacklustre Crows outfit, the Lions booked their spot in the preliminary finals against Hawthorn.
Tex Walker was led off with a guard of honour. Bradley Kanaris
Tex Walker’s 18-year career ended not with a bang, but a whimper as his Crows side was unable to rally for the retiring legend.
He did kick two goals in the final term to cheers from the crowd, but the final moments of Walker’s AFL career will be sombre ones.
Both teams led a guard of honour for the 36-year-old who was emotional as he walked off the field.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Walker said on Seven through tears.
“I couldn’t be more grateful ... a little kid from Broken Hill, hopefully I can path a way for all the young kids in Broken Hill. If you have a dream just go and chase it because you never know.”
“Credit to him, he’s had a wonderful career and to be playing his final game is pretty special, so can’t thank him enough,” former teammate Charlie Cameron said on Fox Footy after the game.
The sheer frustration for the visitors was evident early in the onslaught.
Broadcast vision of an in question Matthew Nicks slamming his desk in the first quarter captured the Crows’ emotions on a tough Saturday night.
“The Lions are truly roaring here at the Gabba,” said Mark Howard on Fox Footy.
First-goal honours went to Brisbane just 30 seconds in, with Kai Lohmann snapping brilliantly from an angle as Charlie Cameron made it two in less than a minute.
Hugh McCluggage, Cam Rayner and Zac Bailey - fresh off signing an eight-year contract extension - quickly joined the early onslaught, compounding what amounted to a comedy of errors for Adelaide before Ben Keays finally managed to put the visitors on the board.
Matthew Nicks slams the desk. Fox Footy
By half-time, the Lions led by 38 points and although the Crows looked to find a comeback, they floundered to a substandard finish that was well and truly done before the final siren.
In a fifth-straight preliminary final showing for the Lions, they’ll take on the Hawks in front of a monstrous MCG crowd.
