BRISBANE has made a statement in the shadows of September, beating Collingwood 14.8 (92) to 10.5 (65) at the MCG on Saturday night.

The result sees the Magpies give up top spot to Adelaide, while a top-two finish and all its rewards has come clearly into the Lions' sights.

Collingwood kicked the first of the match through Lachie Schultz, but Brisbane followed with five of the next six to lead by 20 points at quarter-time.

Momentum then flipped 180 degrees as the Pies answered with five of the seven goals kicked in the second term, to sit one point in arrears at half-time.

To that point it was each side's young guns that led the way with Nick Daicos and Will Ashcroft the leading possession winners with 17, while it was also the Lion cubs doing the damage in front of goal, Logan Morris and Henry Smith kicking three goals apiece to the long break.

When play resumed it was back to where it began, Brisbane winning the third quarter by three goals, Morris kicking two of them, to take a 19-point lead into the final change.

According to the script the fourth quarter should have been Collingwood's, but it was the Lions who set the pace, Morris' sixth putting his side more than four goals up midway through the term.

The Pies kicked the next but it was all they could manage as the reigning premiers showed they're ready to contend again.

COLLINGWOOD    2.2   7.3    8.5    10.5 (65)
BRISBANE             5.4   7.4   11.6    14.8 (92)

GOALS
Collingwood: Sidebottom 2, Schultz, N.Daicos, McStay, Membrey, De Goey, Elliott, Mihocek, Hill
Brisbane: Morris 6, Smith 3, Rayner 2, Bailey 2, Wilmot

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Brisbane: Ryan Lester (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Bobby Hill (replaced Jordan De Goey in the third quarter)
Brisbane: Bruce Reville (replaced Ryan Lester in the second quarter)

Crowd: 82,326 at the MCG