Brisbane notched a one-point comeback victory over the Kangaroos, after 'Roos veteran Shannon Grant hit the post with the final scoring shot of their AFL match at Telstra Dome.

The Lions won 12.13 (85) to 11.18 (84), having hit the front for the first time in the match well into the last quarter.

Grant's poster in the dying minutes provided an appropriate finishing touch, given it was the sixth time the Kangaroos hit the post for the night, with their poor conversion rate hurting them badly throughout.

They had led by as much as 27 points early in the second quarter and held a 19-point lead early in the final term before the Lions came charging home with five of the last seven goals.

Brisbane took control of the centre square in the final stages of the match, as well as having more run than the Kangaroos.

Captain Michael Voss was good in the packs in the middle of the ground, particularly in the last quarter, to be best afield.

He was well supported by Luke Power and Justin Sherman, while Josh Drummond, Matthew Moody and Rhan Hooper gave plenty of dash.

Outspoken star Jason Akermanis played a decisive hand up forward in the final term, taking three marks on the lead and kicking 2.1 for the quarter, after the Lions had struggled in attack for most of the match.

The behind he kicked in the final term, which hit the post, levelled the scores.

He followed it up with a goal 18 minutes into the quarter to put the Lions in front for the first time.

They were not headed again, although the Kangaroos twice pulled to within a point, first with a Leigh Harding goal, and finally with Grant's behind.

Earlier, the 'Roos burst out of the blocks, with midfielder Daniel Wells and full-forward Nathan Thompson dominating the opening quarter with two goals each to set up a 13-point lead at the first change.

The lead was quickly out to 27 points, when Kasey Green and Brent Harvey each scored goals early in the second term, before the Lions started to force their way back into the match.

Wells was outstanding for the Lions, with his speedy runs through the midfield and beautiful kicking.

Captain Adam Simpson and Daniel Harris were excellent around the packs, while Jess Sinclair, Troy Makepeace and Brent Harvey provided plenty of run.

Angry Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley lambasted his players after the match, saying they had given the game away with "sloppy, selfish football".

"Everyone wanted to get a kick, everyone wanted to get in on the act rather than playing the team way which was instrumental in getting us the shots on goal, especially in the first half," Laidley said.

"Our supporters should be absolutely gutted by this and this playing group and myself take responsibility for what's happened.

"This is the worst loss the North Melbourne Football Club's had for many, many years."

Laidley also criticised his forwards for failing to convert their chances.

"That's been a blight on our game all year, our forwards are paid to kick goals and they're paid to not kick 2.2, 2.3 from easy set shots," he said.

Thompson kicked 3.4, Harding 2.2, Kasey Green 1.2, Leigh Brown 0.3 and Corey Jones 0.1.

Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews said Voss was "magnificent" and the willingness of his young players to run with the ball in the final quarter was important, as he sensed the 'Roos were tiring late in the third quarter.

But he conceded the 'Roos' superiority in general play meant they should have built a match-winning lead earlier in the game.

"The best team doesn't always win, you've got to take your chances and we took our chances a little bit better than they did," Matthews said.

"Sport's a game of inches and they hit the post a couple of times and generally weren't able to capitalise when they were pretty much dominating the game."

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