Former Cat Lincoln McCarthy takes a screamer and kicks matchwinning goal over Geelong
Former Cat Lincoln McCarthy has starred in another miracle on grass after taking a huge mark and kicking his team to the top of the ladder. SEE THE MARK and what the coaches said.
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It was the miracle on grass part 2 — where a cameo from former Cat Lincoln McCarthy in his milestone game snatched an improbable one-point victory to propel Brisbane to the top of the AFL ladder.
McCarthy had barely been sighted in his 50th AFL appearance but with 90 seconds to go and with Brisbane trailing by four points, he flew onto the shoulders of Jack Henry to take the mark of the day and, according the rapturous Gabba crowd, the most important of Brisbane’s season.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHAT THE COACHES SAID
STATS, SCORES: LIONS STEAL EPIC WIN
Sometimes a nervous set-shot McCarthy, who had taken seven years to reach 29 games for Geelong but not missed a beat in his first year at Brisbane, calmly went back and drilled it.
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The 10.15 (75) to 10.14 (74) result in front of a season high sellout Gabba crowd of 35,608 finally ensures the Lions will get at least one home final as they cannot finish outside the top four.
“To be honest, I’ve done nothing all day, so I just thought I better have a crack at this and not die wondering,” McCarthy told Fox Footy after the siren.
“I had a crack and it paid off.”
It was a thrilling finish that had echoes of the 2013 Miracle on Grass when 200-game milestone man Ash McGrath kicked a goal after the siren to complete a stunning come from behind victory, having trailed by 54 points in the third quarter.
It was the last time the Lions beat Geelong — until today.
McCarthy’s mark brought the parochial Gabba crowd to their collective feet, but his nerves in front of goal almost got the better of him.
“I was very lucky ... I have actually been kicking set shots shocking lately, so I was pretty nervous lining up.”
He said his side had always been confident they could make up the difference if they continued to take the game on.
“We know when we are down by a couple of goals, we have to play fast and take some risks,” he said. “I thought we did that.”
“They (Geelong) have such a good defence ... they can close down all the corridor kicks and we are really lucky to have come off with a win.
“I am stoked. It’s awesome to see the Gabba full for once ... it’s been a big day ... it’s great to get the result.”
Lions coach Chris Fagan was ecstatic after the win, running onto the Gabba to celebrate with players after they made it nine wins in a row.
“I suppose the lesson in that is, Linc didn’t have a great game today, but he had a great moment,” he said.
“And that is what finals are about so it is a good lesson for everyone, you can be down but you can find a way to influence and he was able to.
“And his composure to kick the ball through the middle was terrific.”
While McCarthy’s cameo will be spoken about for years, the real star was All-Australian certainty Charlie Cameron who five goals.
It was his four second half goals that clawed the Lions back in front after they trailed by 17 points at the main break and were down a man for the entire second half after losing another former Cat Allen Christensen to a hamstring injury.
Over four quarters Brisbane’s defence, in particular vice-captain Harris Andrews and powerhouse Marcus Adams, who has improved every week since joining the side for the win over GWS in round 16, kept the Lions in a contest that was basically controlled by Geelong.
Adams kept Cats’ superstar Tom Hawkins goalless in his best return for the club.
“I’m so pleased for him because whenever you come somewhere new as a footballer you want to be able to earn the respect of your team mates,’’ Fagan said.
“He earned a lot last week and he earned a huge amount today, he certainly played a great game.’’
Patrick Dangerfield was superb for Geelong but even his game high 37 disposals wasn’t enough as the Lions claimed top spot on the adder for the first time this season.
Geelong, meanwhile, will be left to rue a disappointing final 10 minutes after they had led by as much as three goals earlier in the last quarter.
Dangerfield gets one to roll home from 70 metres out!#AFLLionsCats pic.twitter.com/KSDTovRoct
— AFL (@AFL) August 17, 2019
The Cats can still finish in the top four — and potentially the top two — if they beat Carlton at home next week.
The Lions, after finishing 15th last season, travel to the MCG in the final home and away round to meet Richmond in a game that could clinch a home qualifying final.
BRISBANE LIONS 1.3 4.8 6.12 10.15 (75) def GEELONG 2.2 7.7 8.9 10.14 (74)
Goals: C Cameron 5 D Zorko H McCluggage J Lyons L McCarthy L Neale
Geelong: E Ratugolea 2 G Miers 2 C Guthrie J Bews L Dahlhaus M Duncan P Dangerfield Q Narkle
Best: Brisbane Lions: Lyons, Adams, Cameron, Andrews, McCluggage
Geelong: Dangerfield, Stewart, Kelly, Ablett, Duncan, Atkins
Umpires: Chris Donlon, Brendan Hosking, Nicholas Foot
Official Crowd: 35,608 at Gabba
ANDREW HAMILTON’S VOTES:
3 - P Dangerfield (Geel)
2 - J Lyons (Bris)
1 - M Adams (Bris)
CHRIS SCOTT: LIONS NOT UNBEATABLE IN BRISBANE
Geelong coach Chris Scott admits to feeling flat after the Lions’ last gasp victory at the Gabba but said he saw nothing to concern him about the Cats’ form heading into the finals.
Depending on results the Cats could see themselves back in Brisbane over September but Scott said yesterday’s result proved the Gabba was not an impenetrable fortress for the Lions.
“We lost by a point, I don’t think that proves they are unbeatable in Brisbane,’’ he said.
“That would be an incorrect assessment.’’
After an arm wrestle opening quarter, the Cats booted three goals in succession late in the second quarter to take a 17 point lead into the main break.
It was a margin that accurately portrayed their control of the game. The stats suggested the contest was close but the Lions were battling with the dramatic step-up in intensity from last week’s Q Clash and superstar Patrick Dangerfield was running rampant as the best player on the ground.
Brisbane had surges where they would draw close but Geelong hung onto the lead until the final 90 seconds of the game when former Cat Lincoln McCarthy pulled down a screamer and calmly converted to put the Lions’ in front.
Although Scott did not think gun Lions goal sneak Charlie Cameron was the difference between the two sides, it was his four second half goals that snatched the victory for Brisbane.
“It is disappointing, it always is when you lose a close one,’’ Scott said.
“It stings a little bit more when you have control of the game and we did, we probably had a few chances to ice it late, but they were just good enough in the end.
“You have got to be philosophical about these things, it won’t make me feel any better in the short term but I think where we are positioned it gives me a bit of confidence.
“We played ok, they have been hard to play against up here, so I’m disappointed but it is not a disaster for us. ’’
Scott also down played the impact the 28C heat had on his side and ruled it out as a factor in the result.
“I thought we were pretty well prepared, the forecast up here is quite predictable,’’ he said.
“These things get overplayed a bit.’’
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