It was billed as the battle between Luke Hodge and his former club but Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said his star recruit may have helped win the war before a ball was bounced on Sunday.
The four-time Hawthorn premiership winner was facing his old club for the first time and the script couldn't have gone better as the Lions got off the mark with their first win in nine games this season.
Fagan described the champion defender as solid in the Lions' 56-point Gabba thumping, with young talents combining with the side's other experienced heads to do the damage.
But former Hawthorn staffer Fagan said Hodge's work behind the scenes this week may have been just as crucial.
"I think Hodgey really enjoyed tonight," Fagan said.
"Like the rest of us, he's human, would've been pretty nervous about playing against his old team.
"But he was fantastic during the week, coaching our guys and helping them with that inner sanctum knowledge that is sometimes very helpful ... he led the way all week."
Hodge was twice interviewed during the game by Channel 7 while on the interchange bench in an AFL first and lapped up the atmosphere while shaping for a set shot at goal in the final quarter despite clearly being beyond his range.
His rebounding helped the Lions establish a small buffer before they ran rampant in the second half to emerge 20.9 (129) to 11.7 (73).
As is the custom, the 33-year-old was one of the men in the middle of the circle as a first-time victor at the club when the song was sung.
"He would've felt like a young man again, standing in the middle of the circle getting the Gatorade shower," Fagan said.
"We had a few blokes in there tonight."
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson is used to facing players and coaches he once worked with and said, despite Hodge's legacy, this was no different.
"Na not really; it's the modern game," he said.
"Everyone moves on and he's a Brisbane Lion now and enjoying his time up here and making a contribution."