Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has remained coy on the future of star Zac Bailey after his side unlocked a new "X-factor" in a 90-point defeat of Essendon.
The Lions kept the visitors to just one goal and 15 points in total through three quarters before the Bombers kicked seven last-term majors to avoid setting some unwanted records in a 22.17 (149) to 8.11 (59) Sunday hiding.
Essendon dropped to 1-16, while the margin was enough for the back-to-back premiers to jump ahead of Adelaide into fourth on percentage.
Dayne Zorko, the off-contract 37-year-old, had 32 disposals in his first game back after missing seven with a quadriceps injury.
"What did he have? Some ridiculous amount - 32? Not a bad return for an old bloke ... he'd hate me saying that," Fagan said.
Notably, there were huge celebrations when Bailey kicked his first goal after the halftime siren to build a 52-point buffer.
The theatrics came after Fagan said this week he was optimistic the free agent would stay with the Lions and knock back a big-money deal to join Adelaide.
"There's no news, that's just what we do," Fagan said of Bailey's impending commitment.
"We get around our blokes when they score ... (but) I'm confident. I hope it's not stupid confidence."
Lachie Neale had 40 touches and Hugh McCluggage kicked a goal in his return from injury while ruckman Sam Draper (two goals) starred against his former club.
Draper dummied and fended off two rivals before curling a banana kick through for a wonderful goal against his former club, his 11th in 16 games this year on return from an achilles tear.
"He was awesome tonight," Fagan said of the recruit who effectively replaced the retired Oscar McInerney.
"Darcy (Fort) and Oscar are honest competitors that give you a good look with their tap work and get around the ground and help out.
"Drapes, with no disrespect to the other two, has X-factor. He can run with the ball, he can do things you don't see other ruckmen do."
Sam Draper slots one against his old side đȘ#AFLLionsDons pic.twitter.com/GWEDiZfgJp
â AFL (@AFL) July 12, 2026
Fagan was pleased with the effort shown by Will Aschroft (33 disposals, three goals) to push forward and become one of Brisbane's nine multiple goal kickers.
Lachie Neale racked up 40 touches and Hugh McCluggage kicked a goal after missing four games with a calf injury, while Kai Lohmann (three majors) followed up his five-goal haul against Geelong last week.
Peter Wright kicked 3.4 for the visitors while Archie Roberts had a team-high 23 disposals and Zach Merrett (11 disposals) had just five touches in the first half.
"We got great exposure to what it takes to be the best, how it looks and feels and ⊠we're a long way off it," interim Bombers coach Dean Solomon said.
"But what we're doing and have done for the last five or six weeks, during the week ... we've turned the dial on our fundamentals, the way we engage, our leadership.
"It hasn't transferred at the moment, but at some point over the next five or six rounds we'll see improvement."
