The Western Bulldogs have booked a quarter-final encounter with Hawthorn after beating Brisbane by eight points in the NAB Cup match at Manuka Oval on Sunday.
Heavy rain earlier in the day ensured there was plenty of water on the surface and thus ball handling and scoring was difficult.
Conditions did improve when the sun came out and it was the Bulldogs that made the most of their opportunities. A 24-0 third quarter saw them take control of the contest before the teams fought out a tough final term - the Dogs eventually winning 1.5.14 (53) to 1.5.6 (45).
Daniel Cross was busy for the Dogs with 21 disposals, while Matthew Boyd had 16 touches and Ben Hudson was tireless in the ruck.
Amon Buchanan, Travis Johnstone and Tom Rockliff all played well for the Lions.
The contest began in slushy conditions but it didn't take long for former Blue Brendan Fevola to get into the game - he marked a quick kick forward on his chest and opened the scoring from 15 metres out.
Justin Sherman then added a Super Goal to the tally courtesy of a 50-metre penalty and the Lions had slipped away to a 14-point advantage at quarter time.
It took until the sixth minute of the second term for Andrejs Everitt to score the Western Bulldogs' first goal of the match.
They also lifted their intensity and tackle count and were matching Brisbane around the stoppages.
But the Lions still managed to increase their lead thanks to a successful set shot from Jesse O'Brien and Sherman's second goal which came from good defensive pressure in the forward 50.
It was anyone's game at the long break but the 19-point buffer was held by Brisbane.
The Western Bulldogs came out firing in the second half with a running goal from Adam Cooney getting them off to a perfect start.
They totally dominated play with 15 inside-50s to Brisbane's five but it took them until the 16th minute to apply some serious scoreboard pressure.
Jordan Roughead slotted a set shot from 40 metres out while a holding free kick against Daniel Merrett gifted Liam Jones his first major from the goal square.
Brisbane failed to score and the swing in the momentum saw the Dogs take a five-point buffer at three-quarter time.
It was a hard-fought, scrappy fourth quarter with the team kicking two goals each in the final 20 minutes. The Bulldogs' second major was match-defining with a Lions interchange infringement gifting them a 50-metre penalty and Ryan Griffen a Super Goal.
Jared Brennan responded quickly with his own major but the Lions couldn't find another scoring opportunity in time.
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 0.0.4, 0.1.8, 0.4.14, 1.5.14 (53)
BRISBANE LIONS: 1.1.3, 1.3.6, 1.3.6, 1.5.6 (45)
SUPER GOALS: WESTERN BULLDOGS: Griffen
BRISBANE LIONS: Sherman
GOALS: WESTERN BULLDOGS: Everitt 2, Cooney, Roughead, Jones
BRISBANE LIONS: Sherman 2, Fevola, O'Brien, Brennan
BEST: WESTERN BULLDOGS: Cross, Gilbee, Hahn, Cooney, Hudson
BRISBANE LIONS: Buchanan, Sherman, Johnstone, Rockliff
INJURIES: WESTERN BULLDOGS: Nil
BRISBANE LIONS: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Chris Donlon (1), Mathew Nicholls (15), Luke Farmer(4)
CROWD: TBC at MANUKA OVAL