Brisbane Lions banked their sixth consecutive victory on July 26, 2026, beating Port Adelaide by 28 points at the Gabba and climbing to second on the AFL ladder (AFL.com.au).

The win lifts the dual reigning premiers — back-to-back flags in 2024 and 2025 — to a 13-6 record with rounds to spare. More importantly for the rest of the competition, the Lions are building momentum at the pointy end of the season.

Brisbane named an unchanged lineup for the clash, sticking with the side that had won five on the trot (Lions.com.au). Port Adelaide, sitting 15th, made three changes for the trip to Brisbane (Port Adelaide FC).

The tone was set early. Brisbane kicked seven straight goals in the opening quarter — a blitz that effectively decided the contest before Port Adelaide could settle (AFL.com.au). In AFL, a goal is worth six points; seven unanswered in a single term is the kind of start that breaks a game open.

That first-quarter surge was the latest statement in a run that has quietly turned the Lions' season around. Earlier in 2026 they lost to GWS by 78 points and dropped a home game to Fremantle — results that raised real questions about whether a third straight premiership was on the cards (ABC News).

The response has been emphatic. Since Round 13, Brisbane have beaten Gold Coast by 31, Richmond by 35, Sydney by 43, Geelong by 22, Essendon by 90 and West Coast by 24 — six wins with an average margin of over 40 points (ABC News). Add the 28-point Port Adelaide result and the Lions are averaging a tick under 42 points per win across their streak.

Josh Dunkley was among the Lions' key contributors against Port Adelaide, named in the side that ran out unchanged at the Gabba (Lions.com.au). The extended squad earlier in the week included key forward Oscar Allen and Keidean Coleman, both added to the training group before the final team was trimmed (Lions.com.au).

For fans of the game, what stands out is the margin of improvement. A team that lost by 78 points to GWS has not merely recovered — it is now winning every week by comfortable, sometimes commanding, margins. The contested ball, the ruck contests, the spread from stoppage: all of it is clicking for a side that knows what September looks like.

Port Adelaide, by contrast, remain anchored near the foot of the ladder at 15th, their season effectively over in terms of finals contention. Three changes could not bridge the gap between a bottom-side rebuild and a premiership machine hitting its stride.

The Lions entered the match fourth on the ladder and exited second. That is the kind of jump that matters with three rounds left — home finals, potentially a top-two finish, and the double chance (where a top-four team gets a second life if it loses its first final) are all now in play.

Brisbane's next challenge is keeping the streak alive. On current form, few sides will want to stand in their way.