Brisbane confirmed it is the AFL's yardstick and unleashed exciting new talent Jared Brennan in the process with a 14-point win over Collingwood at the Gabba.

In front of a crowd of 35,822, Collingwood led for most of the first half but was overrun in the last two quarters and the Lions won 14.11 (95) to 11.15 (81)

It had looked like the Magpies could avenge last year's grand final loss as they held a 19-point lead at the start of the time on period in the second quarter.

But from then on, the Lions kicked 11 goals to five to top the AFL premiership table.

Collingwood had troubled the Lions' defence early with Anthony Rocca, who kicked four goals, Chris Tarrant (three goals) and Alan Didak exposing flaws.

Magpies skipper Nathan Buckley and on-ballers Shane O'Bree, Paul Licuria and Shane Woewodin appeared to have the measure of the Lions' fabled midfield.

But, at the start of the third quarter, Lions coach Leigh Matthews switched first gamer Brennan, who impressed in the forward lines, onto Tarrant who wasn't sighted until he kicked two goals in the dying minutes of the game.

Before the season started, Matthews labelled the 18-year-old Northern Territorian, who was a late replacement for forward Daniel Bradshaw, one of the best first-year players he had seen.

Brennan confirmed the assessment with mercurial skills which were only spoiled by a couple of lapses in the closing stages of the game.

While Brennan helped lift the Lions' defence, it was also the old firm of Michael Voss, Simon Black, Jason Akermanis and Shaun Hart who snuffed out the Magpies' challenge.

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