What a game and what a year. Congratulations to the Brisbane Lions on their second three-peat. How insane to say!

This was my first full year following AFL and it was a ride. As a Brisbane native, it was only fitting that I supported the boys in maroon. I considered jumping aboard the Gold Coast Suns train for a bit there, but a few Brisbane games were enough to nip that in the bud.

As a Queenslander, footy up here means Rugby League, and we’ve always turned our noses up at ‘aerial ping pong’. September last year however, I went on a tour around Italy and met a few Victorians on the trip. It was Grand final time then, and Brisbane took on Geelong in the decider. The Lions got up, earning back to back premierships and cementing themselves as a legendary team.

This year, I saw a few funny videos from the usual bunch about our poor start to the year: two losses before the bye.

Then we played St. Kilda, one of the few teams I actually knew. My father’s family is from Victoria, so I’d heard about certain AFL teams, and I knew the jokes. Cousins that go for Collingwood were sent out of the house for wearing their guernseys, especially by an aunt that went for Carlton. Grandma and Poppy both went for the Saints however, and they loved that club to death. Literally—Poppy was buried with his Saint Kilda gear and flag.

When I saw the Brisbane Lions were playing the Saints, I decided to give it a watch and see what it was all about. I knew the basics of scoring and marking, but it was probably one of the lowest quality matches you’ll ever see. The Lions managed to get the win and I was somewhat glad to see other footy fans confirm that the actual play wasn’t great. Most importantly the Lions won, even with the jersey clash of the century (although that Fitzroy jumper is one of the best).

Next up was Collingwood, and I had to see that! Thank God the Lions were properly switched on that day, defeating the Pies 113-81. Since then I just kept watching, getting the chance to ride the ups and downs of the season. Tennis was always the biggest sport in my household, but those tournaments are played over two weeks maximum. It’s one thing to follow a player’s journey through that time, and another to follow a whole team over six months. You become so invested that their wins become yours.

I booked tickets to a few different games at the Gabba, seeing them play Carlton, Fremantle, Essendon and Port Adelaide. The mid-season slump was pretty rough, as was the second Carlton game…I don’t know how I always manage to find my way back to a Blues supporter, but they’re everywhere. Being reminded of that horrible game all week was so rough. Anyway, despite having their backs

Pre-Game

Everyone I knew was nervous all day in the lead up to the game, so I went for a walk at midday to get away from it. Unlike in Melbourne, the sun was blazing up here in Brisbane, which didn’t exactly help my nerves but it did keep my mind off the game for a bit.

I got back in time to eat lunch and watch the pre-game show of Kylie Minogue!

I thought Kylie’s performance was great, with a mix of old and new hit songs. The dreary weather didn’t help the performance, but it was still quality pre-show entertainment. It was especially awesome seeing so many people who aren’t usually footy fans tune in to watch her.

Personally, I loved hearing ‘On a Night Like This’ as part of her set list. During an AFL game, that means Logan Morris is kicking goals, which is always good for the Lions! When she was done it was time for the teams to run out, the anthem to play, and the game to get underway.

The Game

The first few minutes were truly a blur, but I think my nerves settled pretty quick—along with all the players. I can’t imagine how it must feel playing out there in front of 100,000+ people, with millions watching around the country. The excitement, adrenaline, nerves, and competitiveness would be off the charts.

The game itself was so tight, with plenty of lead changes throughout. Credit to Fremantle, they managed to stay ahead, keeping Brisbane from kicking away at any point. The fact that they were all tied up at half-time was huge, with both teams doing a lot right in such a pressure-filled game.

Everyone knew the third quarter was going to be massive, as this is usually the make or break for Brisbane. If you can’t beat them comprehensively here, you won’t be able to beat them. Even last week against Hawthorn, their third quarter was what won them the game, forcing the Hawks to throw everything at them to get the lead. The pressure bubbled over in the end, and a series of their errors awarded Brisbane a few crucial free kicks that helped them ice it.

Fremantle were able to kick away for most of the third, finishing ten points ahead, though they had to know this was nothing against Brisbane.

They started the fourth on fire, continuing to answer every one of Brisbane’s goals with their own. There were plenty of behinds too, the Dockers sending the ball to the goals every chance they got.

Five minutes to go, and Shai Bolton hit up Patrick Voss with a perfect kick right in the goal square. He kicked truly, and while I didn’t think the Lions were done just yet, I knew it would be a hard slog here. The Dockers leading by 17 points, Hells Bells rang around the MCG as Wharfie Time began.

Much has been made of this event, which I believe started as a way to hype up the crowd and get them involved, but this was huge. Even on TV, the roar was immense. Unfortunately, as we came to see, I had an inkling that the Lions would be ready and waiting to pounce when they heard the song begin. Watching this Brisbane Lions team over the year, you learn that when they need to lift, they do.

4:18 on the clock, and pounce they did. No matter the knocks on their defence, boy can they score.The Brisbane Blitz was on full display, with the Lions kicking four unanswered goals to put the Grand Final to bed with 8 seconds to go. One amazing crumb and snap from Charlie Cameron, one impossible shot through traffic from Zac Bailey, one huge mark from Logan Morris and then an incredible no-looker over the shoulder to seal the three-peat.

As elated as I was to hear the final siren sound, I could understand how devastating that must have been for all the devoted Freo fans out there. It was one of the best Grand Final wins, and toughest Grand Final losses you will ever see.

The narrative that Fremantle choked it in the end is dead wrong—they ran into a generational team with freakish talent, relentless grit, and a never-say-die attitude that refused to lose today. The stats showed it too, as Freo dominated just about everything from stoppages, centre bounce, inside-50s and contested possessions. They looked to be the better team, competing hard for everything and shutting down Brisbane’s uncontested mark game. In the end, all of that just wasn’t enough.

All the criticism of Brisbane this year probably sounded reasonable at the time, but there is always a human element to sports that stats and history can’t quite match. With so much history on the line, ego too, the Lions wanted this win bad, and they got it. Having a bottom-of-the-table defence made people write them off countless times. Their mid-season slump, culminating with a loss to Fremantle in Round 12 was a massive low, even for them. Their late season losses to Carlton, then the Swans in the final proved their shaky lapses in judgement could occur even while riding high. And yet! They just find a way again and again and again.

Aftermath

Two back-to-back incredible matches by Brisbane to seal their third premiership in a row.

It was a great year to follow the Lions for the first time, and I’m not taking this success for granted. I may not have been invested ten years ago when they weren’t doing so well, but I knew of the woes they were facing. The Lions were an embarrassment for a while there, but they have turned that around entirely, all thanks to Chris Fagan and the work he has done over the years.

I’m looking forward to next year, especially because the challenge is still there for more. This list is incredible, the team is getting better and winning even when they ‘shouldn’t’. Enjoy the summer everyone, let’s do it again in 2027!