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Schulz boots seven as Port crush winless Lions

Brisbane lost two star players to injury as Port Adelaide walloped the Lions by 113 points to continue their horror start to the AFL season.

Lion ruckman Matthew Leuenberger and utility Pearce Hanley were casualties as a ruthless Port logged a crushing 24.15 (159) to 7.4 (46) win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Leuenberger will have scans on his right knee and Hanley strained a hamstring on another bleak day for the winless Lions.

Port’s Jay Schulz kicked seven goals and Justin Westhoff, Matt White and debutant Sam Gray each kicked three majors.

Power captain Travis Boak (41 disposals), Kane Cornes (38 possessions) and vice-captain Brad Ebert (35 touches) were outstanding before a 36,231-strong home crowd.

Brisbane had no clear winner apart from Tom Rockliff (31 disposals, 14 tackles) and Rohan Bewick, who kicked two goals.

The Lions kept pace in the first term and trailed by eight points at quarter-time in a heartening opening.

But Brisbane were then blown away as Port booted 14 goals to two in the second and third quarters.

Boak, Ebert and Cornes ruled the midfield and fed a hungry forward line, where Schulz and Westhoff were ever-present threats, taking 17 marks between them.

And when the ball hit the ground, goalsneaks White, impressive first-gamer Sam Gray and Robbie Gray (two goals) feasted on the crumbs.

Brisbane’s cause was hampered by the loss of tap-man Leuenberger, who hobbled from the ground in the second term after injuring his right knee in a tangle with opponent Matthew Lobbe.

Lions officials believe Leuenberger avoided damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, with scans to determine the exact nature of his injury.

And Hanley limped off in the third quarter with a hamstring strain and also appears certain to miss games.

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