Brisbane Lions sweating over fitness of captain Dayne Zorko despite win over Western Bulldogs
Brisbane are a step closer to a home final after a seventh-straight AFL victory which has snapped another hoodoo against the Western Bulldogs.
The 14.14 (98) to 11.14 (80) Gabba win ended a run of five-straight losses to the 2016 premiers and kept them third, narrowly behind second-placed West Coast on percentage.
It didn't come without a scare, though, with skipper Dayne Zorko (hamstring) benched midway through the third quarter.
Coach Chris Fagan said it was a "minor tweak" and a conservative call to bench Zorko but that he was in doubt for next round's clash with Gold Coast.
Zorko told Fox Footy that he was not concerned about the severity of his hamstring injury AAP
If he didn't play, it'd be just his fifth match missed including one through suspension in a 163-game career.
Zorko's departure, with just three regular-season games remaining, coincided with the Bulldogs' revival as the visitors rallied from 43 points down to trail by 17 at the break.
Early fourth-quarter goals to Eric Hipwood and Charlie Cameron looked to have sealed it, however the Bulldogs came again when Marcus Bontempelli's goal pulled it back to a 17-point game.
But Hipwood replied with his second goal of the quarter to ensure Brisbane's eighth win from nine home games this season.
"Momentum was always going to swing; they give your defensive reaction a real test," Fagan said.
Lions forward Eric Hipwood celebrates one of his two goals for the match AAP
"We've got a team - on different weeks, different times - players bob up and have their moments."
Bontempelli (35 disposals) was influential for the Bulldogs, while Jack Macrae finished with 45 disposals.
But while the effort was there, they had their first-half kicking accuracy to blame. The loss puts them a win and significant percentage behind eighth-placed Adelaide.
"That was it in a nutshell for a fair portion of game - not being able to capitalise on the opportunities we created," Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said.
Lions star Lachie Neale had another wonderful outing with a big third quarter propelling his side AAP
"It's a little bit soul destroying when they're working so hard but, in open field, you've almost got too much time, to give the ball straight back to them."
Charlie Cameron (four goals) and Allen Christensen (two) were problematic up front for Brisbane, while Cameron Rayner provided the early muscle for the Lions and Mitch Robinson was among best on ground.
Robinson soared for a mark and goaled on the halftime siren for a 29-point lead, which might have been more if not for Lincoln McCarthy butchering a major that Rayner had put on a platter.
They were unable to kill off the Bulldogs in the second half, though, with a percentage boost going begging and a question mark on their captain ahead of games against the Suns, Geelong and Richmond.
