Lions from awful to awesome

Yesterday I attended my fourth Brisbane Lions match for the year. My aim when I moved overseas at the end of 1999 was to attend at least one match a year, so despite the fact that they lost the first three matches I attended, I'm happy to have seen so many games.

Against Geelong yesterday they were as awesome as they had been awful a month ago. They were the Lions of old - hard at the ball, running hard in attack and defence, and a level above the competition in terms of skill. Three weeks ago the commentators were talking seriously about them finishing last. Now they're back in serious contention.

This time I sat behind the goals at the city end and had a close up view of two truly amazing third quarter Jason Akermanis goals kicked from deep in the pocket. At that angle the goals are about six inches wide. The first was impressive enough, but when "Aker" followed it up two minutes later from the same spot, well in more than a hundred matches I've attended I've never seen the crowd go so wild. The trip from the US to Brisbane was worth it simply to see those goals.

Update: (28 July 2007) Check out the second of Aker's goals on YouTube.