The two Queensland AFL sides found themselves at opposite ends of the attendance debate in Melbourne last weekend as ageless Brisbane star Dayne Zorko added another significant line to his career CV.
Zorko had a staggering 996 metres gained as the Lions beat Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night – a record for Queenslanders in the AFL since these statistics were introduced in 2012.
This came in front of a crowd of 36,468 – the second-biggest crowd in 56 meetings between the clubs behind only a turnout of 39007 in 2007.
But 24 hours later across town the visiting Gold Coast Suns posted a 19-point win over St.Kilda in front of the smallest crowd in 311 St.Kilda games at Marvel Stadium over 25 years (excluding Covid games).
A meagre 13,486 turned out after St.Kilda coach Ross Lyon had sparked a war of words between the clubs when pre-match he described the Suns as the ‘nepo baby’ of the AFL.
Lyon was taking aim at the assistance the Suns have received from the AFL, prompting a strong reply from Suns coach Damien Hardwick and CEO Mark Evans.
Hardwick and Evans pointed to the poor turnout for a club which in 2024 boasted a membership of 60,322, especially after the only two Suns home games at People First Stadium this year had drawn 16,211 against Adelaide and 18,034 against Sydney – the biggest for an Adelaide visit and the second-biggest for a Sydney visit.
But on the field it was Zorko’s week as the Lions and the Suns confirmed their standing at second and third on the AFL ladder at Round 11 – despite the Suns having a game in hand.
The Lions are second with an 8-1-2 record – half a game short of the club’s best result at the corresponding time of the season in their 39-year history. They were also 8-1-2 at Round 11 in 2003 as they pushed towards a third consecutive premiership.
In confirmation of what has been an extraordinary resurgence under coach Chris Fagan, the Lions were 8-3 at Round 11 in 2020-21-23 to equal the mid-year standing in 2002-04.
Zorko missed by one forward handball membership of the elite ‘Kilometre Club’ that has been reached by just 11 players in the AFL.
His 996m effort against the Hawks bettered his previous best of 852m against Gold Coast at the Gabba last year, and gives him the top 15 by a Queenslander. The best by any other Queensland player is Dayne Beams’ 735m for Brisbane in 2018.
The AFL record for most metres gained in a match is 1169m set by ex-Sun Aaron Hall when playing for North Melbourne in 2022. Pearce Hanley (1065m) and Daniel Rich (1010m) have topped 100m for Brisbane, while John Noble (1001m) grabbed the Suns record in Round 10.
Zorko’s relentless run and dash off half back was a feature of a performance in which Zorko, playing his 288th game at 36, had 33 possessions – his third 30-plus game of the year.
With 302 possessions in 11 games, he ranks 14th in the competition and has slipped ahead of Will Ashcroft as the top-ranked Queenslander.
Zorko polled four votes in the AFL Coaches Association Award as Fagan and Hawthorn counterpart Sam Mitchell were split over the game’s best performers. Lachie Neale, who had 32 possessions on his 32nd birthday, received seven votes, while Hugh McCluggage and Callum AhChee polled six votes.
Teammate Jack Payne was the other Queensland to figure in the votes, picking up three votes as he continued his career-best season at the heart of the Brisbane defence.
Will Ashcroft had 26 possessions, a goal and eight clearances, Levi Ashcroft 22 possessions and a goal, Jaspa Fletcher 21 possessions and Charlie Cameron 14 possessions and three goals, which came in a scintillating and match-turning three minutes in the second quarter.
Eric Hipwood, spending more time in the ruck as Oscar McInerney sat on the injury list, went goalless against the Hawks but remains the top-ranked Queenslander on the AFL goals list with 20 – equal with Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol, who kicked three goals against the Gold Coast.
In the Suns game, Sam Closehy continued his return to form with 22 possessions and a goal, and Bodhi Uwland had 19 possessions to supplement a strong contribution to a powerful team defensive effort.
Samson Ryan started as Richmond’s #1 ruck for just the second time in his 25th game after coach Adem Yze opted to rest skipper Toby Nankervis in the ‘Dreamtime at the G’ game against Essendon.
It was Ryan’s third appearance in the celebration game but he’s still looking for his first win, after collecting 11 possessions and 27 hit-outs in his side’s 23-point loss.
Corey Wagner had 18 possessions and a game-high 568m as Fremantle got their season back on track with a 49-point win over Port Adelaide in Perth. Aliir Aliir had 12 possessions for Port.
Oscar Baker played his third game of the year for the Western Bulldogs, picking up 15 possessions and 450m in his side’s 14-point loss to Geelong in Geelong, and Adelaide’s Ben Keays returned 12 possessions and a goal in his side’s 11-goal demolition of West Coast in Adelaide.
SUBMITTED BY PETER BLUCHER