Melbourne have kept pace in a stacked AFLW conference A, sending Brisbane crashing back to earth with a 39-point flogging.
The Lions, grand finalists in the previous two seasons, were outplayed as the Demons notched a landslide 9.6 (60) to 3.3 (21) victory at a packed Hickey Park in Brisbane’s north.
Nippy midfielder Aliesha Newman led the way with three goals, including the first two of the match, as the visitors kicked five unanswered majors in the second quarter.
The loss followed a 27-point defeat to Fremantle last weekend and dropped Brisbane (1-2) to third in conference B, replaced by Geelong on percentage despite the Cats also losing on Sunday.
The Demons moved to 2-1 and looked far slicker than the Lions.
But in the new conference system they also find themselves third, behind the unbeaten Dockers and North Melbourne and equal on points with the dangerous Adelaide.
“It had a bit of everything … but that second quarter really set it up,” said Demons coach Mick Stinear.
“We used that breeze to our advantage and converted in front of goal.
“We’re in a good space at the moment; in previous seasons we haven’t quite cashed in on our hard work (but we did today).”
Brisbane battled for parity in the first half and looked to have succeeded before the floodgates opened in the 10 minutes before halftime.
Karen Paxman, Eden Zanker, Newman and a runaway Bianca Jakobsson all booted goals as the Lions’ defence opened up.
Brisbane were scoreless in that quarter, with young ruck Jesse Wardlaw the lone goal-scorer of the half.
Lions focal point Sabrina Frederick-Traub was silenced while Jacobsson rubbed salt into the wounds when her set shot somehow snuck through the pack on the line to end the third term.
Lions coach Craig Starcevich said the expansion of the competition, which saw four senior players head to newcomers North Melbourne this year, had taken its toll.
“We’re like a normal footy team that’s got five or six debutants in the one year trying to hang on at the moment,” he said.
“As bullish as we might be about our chances, I think it’s a little bit of an unfair comparison.
“Having said that we need some more from our top end players that have got the reputation for performing well, to help the young ones through.”