With a deficit of 35 points, Melbourne were to come out of the blocks, but when Todd Banfield booted his second, the Lions extended their lead further.
Mitch Clark got Melbourne’s second for the half at the 13-minute mark, but the Dees still trailed by almost seven goals.
Aaron Davey added another and Clark kicked his second but it was too late in the wash-up.
After such a positive start, it was a frustrating, disappointing second half by the Demons.
Melbourne went down by 41 points. Final scores: Melbourne 11.12.78 lost to Brisbane 17.17.119
Third quarter
It was game on entering the second half, as the Demons trailed by just four points.
After a thoroughly entertaining first half, it loomed as a beauty after the main change.
Yet the Lions broke the game open and slammed on six unanswered goals to break away to a 42-point lead.
Lions Tom Rockliff and James Polkinghorne proved a handful for the Demons up forward during this period.
It wasn’t until deep in time-on when former skipper Brad Green kicked Melbourne’s only goal of the term.
The Lions took a 35-point lead into the final term.
Second quarter
The second term was a see-sawing encounter, with the lead changing several times.
The Lions got off to a flier for the term, when it kicked four of the first five goals, but when Jack Watts snapped truly and Jeremy Howe kicked his second second, the Dees were back in front.
It was goal-for-goal just before half-time and although Jack Trengove’s first major as skipper delighted the Demon faithful, it wasn’t enough for the red and blue to lead at the main change.
The Lions took a four-point lead into half-time.
First quarter
AFTER a minute applause for the great Jim Stynes and the national anthem was played, Melbourne’s 2012 premiership season was under way.
Some missed opportunities happened early on, until Lion Tom Rockliff threaded through the first for the match at the 10-minute mark.
It wasn’t until mid-way through the team, when the Demons registered their first through nominated rookie James Magner.
He pumped the fists after kicking his first and then had another crack immediately afterwards, when the Lions gave away a free kick. The result: two goals from two consecutive kicks for Magner.
At quarter-time, Melbourne was up by 11 points.
