Zorko stars, Lions defy carnage for QClash win

The Brisbane Lions' injury crisis has deepened but their AFL plight has improved after the hosts dominated a flat Gold Coast in front of a record QClash crowd at the Gabba.

The Lions' 10.19 (79) to 6.9 (45) Sunday night victory came with just two men on the bench for almost three quarters after potentially serious knee injuries to Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner.

Brandon Starcevich (calf) was injured in the warm-up while Noah Answerth (concussion) was another early loss, with teenaged emergency Logan Morris promoted for a debut just hours after playing a full game in the Lions' VFL team.

Victory was the Lions' first from four games at home this season, crucially improving them to 3-5 and taking the wind out of the Suns' (4-4) sails.

If Gardiner and McCarthy's injuries are anterior cruciate ligament tears, as feared, it would bring to five the number of Lions currently sidelined by the injury.

Will Ashcroft, Keidean Coleman and Tom Doedee are all in various stages of ACL rehabilitation while Zac Bailey (ankle) and Cal Ah Chee (hamstring) are also sidelined.

All that commotion didn't stop the Lions' first-half clinic, with Dayne Zorko (career-high 39 disposals, including 35 kicks) engineering the performance from half-back.

Zorko's prolific and accurate service sliced the Suns up through the corridor to earn him his first Marcus Ashcroft Medal.

Matt Rowell (16 disposals, two clearances) was quietened by Josh Dunkley as the Suns lacked forward thrust.

Brisbane led by 40 point at halftime with Zorko and Lachie Neale (34 disposals) leading the way.

Oscar McInernery's return from concussion was influential, keeping a lid on Suns rival Jarrod Witts, while Hugh McCluggage (31 touches) was also damaging.

Not even 10 consecutive Lions behinds, and some complete misses, could bring the Suns back into it as the visitors squandered some golden opportunities of their own.

Ben King (three goals) kicked the Suns' first two majors but they were cancelled out by a rare Gardiner double.

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The recalled Harry Sharp kicked a superb check-side snap to begin the second quarter and Joe Daniher got in on the action with a goal soon after he had played on, but then missed another chance from directly in front.

Morris's last-minute promotion came on the same night Bruce Reville made his Lions debut, the latter a clear favourite of the 30,285-strong crowd that was almost 3,000 greater than any other derby figure.

The 18-year-old Morris capped a whirlwind day with a second-quarter goal, but could have had a swag if not for two set-shot misses and another snap that sailed just wide.

His was the Lions' last before Charlie Cameron walked into an open goal and ended a run of 10-straight behinds late in the final quarter.

That, and Brisbane's tired legs, kept it closer than it should have been in an anti-climactic evening for a Suns side that had entered with high hopes.