Lion Morris hauls seven as Brisbane crush Gold Coast

Logan Morris has dined out with a career-high seven goals to help the Brisbane Lions snap a three-game AFL losing streak and heap pressure on rivals Gold Coast. The 21-year-old reached deep into his bag of tricks at Carrara on Saturday and could have hit double figures if not for some inaccuracy in a 15.16 (106) to 11.9 (76) win. Morris (17 disposals) kicked four behinds and had one shot smothered and another touched on the goal line. But it mattered little in a 31-point

win that followed a trio of comprehensive losses that had dropped the two-time premiers out of the top eight and left them searching for confidence. That came flooding back on Saturday as they improved to 7-6, while the Suns, fresh off a bye, dropped to 7-5 ahead of a trip to Geelong next week. The Suns also lost Will Graham and Lachie Weller to hamstring injuries, while Bailey Humphrey sauntered off after a heavy collision late in the fourth quarter. Lachie Neale (37 disposals, 10

disposals) set the tone with 15 first-quarter touches that included five clearances and a brilliant intercept. Cam Rayner was explosive through the middle too, while Jaspa Fletcher found some touch and Darcy Wilmot ran freely out of defence as if to make a point of the Lions’ desire to be bolder. Morris kicked two in the first quarter, his second a sharp gather and sidestep in the goal square. He wobbled through back-to-back set shots late in the half, shooshing the Suns crowd as he

brought his total to five. Ben King (four goals) was slotting them from both pockets though, Christian Petracca kicked a brilliant goal from a forward stoppage, and Jed Walter kicked straight to drag the margin back to 10 points early in the third. A long snap from Morris equalled his career high of six goals, then the forward helped turn over a Suns runaway that ended in a Conor McKenna goal and suddenly the difference was 30 points. Among all that the Suns lost Graham

and Weller, while Mac Andrew limped off for treatment to his ankle but returned in the fourth quarter. Morris had at least four unsuccessful attempts to kick his seventh, the misses along with a second poster from Josh Dunkley keeping Gold Coast in the frame. King drilled his fourth to make it a 24-point game with 13 minutes still to play and Ben Long’s second created some anxiety, until Brisbane finally iced the contest when Charlie Cameron snapped his second goal. With the game won

Morris finally kicked his seventh, celebrating with NBA star Steph Curry’s “night night” celebration before collecting the Marcus Ashcroft Medal for best on ground in the QClash. John Noble (36 disposals) was heavily involved, while Dunkley kept Matt Rowell (15 touches, one goal) quiet, and Noah Anderson (26 disposals) had only eight touches at halftime.

AFL, Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast Suns, Logan Morris, career-high seven goals, Lachie Neale, Carrara, Marcus Ashcroft Medal, QClash