Brisbane Lions storm home to beat Cats and reach AFL grand final
The Brisbane Lions have done it again, storming back from another big deficit to stun the Cats and reach this year’s grand final.
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The Brisbane Lions have produced another thrilling escape act to overcome Geelong by 10 points and reach a second consecutive AFL grand final.
The Cats opened up a 25-point lead after Patrick Dangerfield’s goal to start the third quarter, but the Lions stormed home for a 14.11 (95) to 12.13 (85) victory.
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In front of 93,066 fans, the Lions secured a grand final clash with the Swans, after the Sydneysiders comfortably overcame Port Adelaide at the SCG on Friday night.
The Queenslanders were written off a number of times this season, but these Lions are made of stern stuff under coach Chris Fagan, having stormed back from a 44-point deficit in last week’s semi-final win over GWS.
They now have the chance to bounce back from their heartbreaking loss to Collingwood in last year’s grand final when they take on the minor premiers back at the MCG in seven days’ time.
“This is an extraordinary place to be right now, the MCG in front of 93,066 people,” Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy.
“The Brisbane Lions are through to the grand final and they’ll take on Sydney next Saturday afternoon.
“We’ve just witnessed something special here.”
The visitors kicked five of the last six goals of the third term to take a two-point lead into the last change.
Then in the frenetic final minutes, Cam Rayner took a super mark with less than four minutes remaining before Zac Bailey tried to take on two Geelong defenders and was tackled by Tom Stewart.
The Cats moved the ball up the field from the resulting free kick and Jeremy Cameron found Ollie Henry, who slotted truly to give Geelong a one-point lead as Henry looked like the game’s hero.
But the Lions were far from done.
In a sensational finish, Callum Ah Chee kicked his third goal with just over two minutes remaining as the Lions reclaimed the lead and then Rayner nailed the sealer.
Geelong was a firm favourite to prevail on Saturday and set up another grand final against the Swans, having knocked over Sydney in the 2022 decider.
The Lions never say die, however, and showed incredible poise down the stretch.
There was an intense arm-wrestle for the first half of the final quarter until Ah Chee slotted his second and Logan Morris did the same to give the Lions a two-goal edge.
Both sides then had their chances, but it was the Lions capitalising on the big moments to set up a shot at a first flag since the club won its third straight in 2003.
“It’s been one of those seasons,” Dayne Zorko said after the match.
“Full of momentum changes and tonight was another one of those.
“Our ability to compose ourselves at halftime, we knew we had to stay in the contest and we got our wind in the third quarter and took momentum from that.”
Max Holmes, who was cruelly ruled out of Geelong’s 2022 grand final win with a hamstring injury, appeared set to suffer the same fate on Saturday.
Cats skipper Dangerfield was also facing a nervous wait after his tackle slammed Hugh McCluggage’s head into the MCG turf, although the Lion got straight up and played on.
Yet they were both reduced to moot points, with Geelong’s season coming to a close as the Lions marched on.
One of the only low points for Brisbane was a shoulder issue for ruckman Oscar McInerney, who is in doubt for the grand final.
“He has gone to hospital for assessment, so that was clearly a concern for him,” David Zita said on Fox Footy.
“He (dislocated) the shoulder once, put some strapping on, came back out and did it again.
“There is some significant doubt over Oscar McInerney.”
Originally published as Brisbane Lions storm home to beat Cats and reach AFL grand final
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