CB Brave secured a convincing 9-4 victory over Brisbane Lightning in the AIHL on Saturday night at the 4 o'clock start. The home side extended their winning streak while the visitors' recent fortunes continued to sour. By then the result had already told its own story before the final whistle.
The Brave came in third in the standings with twenty wins from thirty games, a record that showed consistency throughout the season. Brisbane sat ninth after nine victories and twenty-one defeats, a gap that widened considerably on this evening. To be fair, the visitors had shown moments of competitiveness in their previous encounters against Adelaide, winning 7-6 on two occasions.
CB Brave's recent form has been impressive, with five consecutive victories including 6-3 wins over Newcastle and Central Coast Rhinos, alongside two 5-2 victories against Melbourne Ice. The attack operated at full strength, while the defensive structure held firm throughout all three periods. And here's the thing — this wasn't a team grinding out results; they were playing with confidence and pace.
Brisbane Lightning's record doesn't reflect the volatility of their recent games. Those 7-6 victories in August 2026 were high-scoring affairs that suggested potential, but the defensive frailty remained evident. The 2022 results in their history — 12-9 against Central Coast and 3-4 losses to Newcastle and Sydney — paint a picture of a side that can score but rarely keeps clean sheets.
The final margin of five goals reflects the difference in table position. CB Brave now sit three places above their opponents with twelve more wins than losses. Brisbane must find consistency if they hope to climb away from the bottom half of the standings.