Brisbane Lions blow chance to score late in thrilling Crows draw

The Brisbane Lions had the chance to steal Sunday’s clash with the Crows before a key decision left them falling just short.

Taylor Walker, Charlie Cameron and Darcy Fogarty

Adelaide and Brisbane have played out a draw in arguably the best match of 2024, with both sides locked at 13.12 (90) after the final siren.

With no team leading by more than 18 points throughout the match, each side was in the contest for the entirety of it, almost fittingly ending with split points.

Neither side led by more than three points at the first three intervals, speaking highly of the incredibly tight contest.

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Both clubs stay locked in 12th and 13th place on the ladder, stuck now on an awkward 14 points.

The match was the third draw in Adelaide’s 33-year history, while it was the Lions’ first draw since 2009.

The last 30 seconds between the Crows and Lions was absolute MADNESS.

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— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) May 12, 2024

Crows skipper Jordan Dawson sprayed a shot on goal under huge pressure to level the scores in the dying moments.

The Lions then needed to go the length of the ground with less than 90 seconds remaining.

The visitors appeared in good shape until Dayne Zorko made the decision to kick to Callum Ah Chee in the pocket, who kicked long towards the boundary line.

The ball eventually went out of bounds as the clock ticked down and there were no more scoring plays for either side as the final siren sounded.

“I think if Brisbane were to review that game and it was a genuine ‘win the game’ play, that kick-in had to go down the middle of the ground,” Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy.

“Harris Andrews was running there, I think (Oscar) McInerney was there — so all the tall timber that they needed was there.

“They (will) learn from that. You hope if they were in that same moment again — the good sides of the competition who know how to win, who go into scenario-based stuff — it would have been down the middle of the ground.”

Taylor Walker, Charlie Cameron and Darcy Fogarty

Jack Riewoldt felt the Lions were in an awkward position when they regained possession.

“That moment there, you kick it into a really, really dangerous spot, so there is the risk to win the game, but there’s also the risk to lose the game,” he said.

“Are you brave enough, at that point in time, to take the risk to win? Because you could lose.”

Brisbane led Adelaide by three points at quarter time, before the Crows snatched a two-point lead at the main break.

The standard of football was high from the start, as noted by three-time Richmond premiership player Riewoldt.

“It’s been an interesting open term, both sides playing some reasonable football,” Riewoldt said.

“For both teams, a little bit of work to be done – but an interesting first quarter, I think both sides are trying to feel their way out in this game.”

The Lions started the match with their worst clearance return in a quarter for 2024 – registering just seven compared to Adelaide’s 14.

A draw! Not sure what that result does for either team big picture, but thrilling contest. Jack Payne awesome for Brisbane. Berry, Andrews and Ah Chee (four goals) also very good. Lions stuck in 13th spot with 3.5 wins from 9 games. Richmond at Gabba next Saturday night.

— Michael Whiting (@MichaelWhiting) May 12, 2024

A Darcy Fogarty behind on the siren meant the Crows again stole a lead at three-quarter time, with an epic final quarter on the horizons.

Brisbane’s early get away in the final term at one point gave them an 18-point lead, but the Crows fought back extremely hard to level scores deep into the last quarter.

A Harry Sharp behind gave the Lions a one-point lead at the 30-minute mark of the term, before Dawson ran across the face of his own goal 40 metres out, but missing to the right side of the big sticks.

At the final siren, all 46 players were in disbelief they had fought so hard for half of the deserved reward.

Which begs the question, should the draw be scrapped?

The teams couldn’t be separated at the final siren. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Now sitting with just three wins from their first nine games, both the Crows and Lions desperately needed a win just as much as the other.

Now two wins outside the top eight, the unexpected draw makes their finals runs increasingly unlikely, given their current records and the well-documented openness of the premiership race in 2024.

Nonetheless, there’s no doubt that both sides deserve to be higher than their current rank on the ladder, as touched on by Riewoldt at half time.

“I think both of these sides are playing better footy than 12th and 13th at the moment … to have a win against a side that’s around you is so crucial,” Riewoldt said.

The Lions had moments where they stood out collectively, while the Crows had more moments of individual brilliance – particularly from the likes of Izak Rankine.”

Originally published as Brisbane Lions blow chance to score late in thrilling Crows draw