Gabba lights go out in final stages of Brisbane Lions vs Melbourne game

The Gabba was plunged into darkness during the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne Demons game on Friday night, causing bizarre and chaotic scenes at the AFL match.

Confusion reigns at the Gabba as the lights go out in the last 15 minutes. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The Gabba was plunged into darkness during the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne Demons game on Friday night, causing bizarre and chaotic scenes at the AFL match.

The blockbuster game came to a screeching halt as a “technical issue” caused the lights to suddenly fail, forcing play to be temporarily suspended.

As confusion engulfed the ground in the bizarre scenes during the fourth quarter, players retreated to the changerooms with the score 91 to 51 in the Lions’ favour.

Melbourne players look on as the lights go out at the Gabba. Picture: AFL

Commentators were stunned during the broadcast, with Fox Footy boundary rider Alastair Lynch relaying to fans that all the lights had suddenly gone out.

““She’s all gone to smoke,” the former Lions star forward said.

“One of the bulbs has blown up. You could hear the transformer blow behind the stand at the member’s side. Everyone’s hanging around, or most people are hanging around.”

During the break in play, the scoreboards at the stadium displayed a message to the crowd reading: “The Gabba is investigating a technical issue that is impacting the venue’s power.”

The Gabba was plunged into darkness during the final quarter in the round 2 match between the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Following a pause of about 30 minutes, partial power had returned to the Gabba’s lights and play was able to resume for the final 12 minutes of the quarter.

But one light tower remained in darkness, causing bizarre scenes.

The halt in play appeared to favour the Demons, who pared back the deficit but Lions were ultimately victorious, winning 93-82.

Play was suspended for about 30 minutes after the lights went out during the final quarter. . (Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The suspension of the blockbuster game isn’t the first time the Gabba’s lights have forced a professional sport to be halted.

In early 2019, a Big Bash League cricket game was suspended after a power outage caused havoc as an entire section of the stadium was plunged into darkness.

The blackout during the cricket game was blamed on a power outage in Brisbane’s East Grid, shutting down lights at the Stanley Street end of the stadium.

Players and spectators alike were left confused after the lights went out at the Gabba on Friday night.