AFL finals news: Mark Robinson on Brisbane Lions v Richmond elimination final

Richmond’s season may be over but their era is not. However, that won’t stop a rival club asking the question of their coach and his plans for the future.

Dustin Martin’s future is up in the air.

It was Chris Fagan’s crowning moment as Brisbane coach.

Under siege and overwhelmed by injury and suspension going into match, and then losing ruckman Oscar McInerney three minutes into the contest, the Lions were brave and bold and lucky, and all of footy was blessed for it.

Fagan especially.

He needed this win.

And he will love it. Because underdog wins are gloriously memorable for their total application from every player.

Watch every match prior to the AFL grand final Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

And of all the players to be heroes, it was Joe Daniher, who found himself in the right place at the right time, in the goalsquare surrounded by four Richmond players, and only for his wonky left foot to find leather and kick the go-ahead goal.

Daniher can be the most infuriating player, but for that brief moment, when the season swung in the breeze for both Richmond and Brisbane, he was the most captivating.

He was, in some ways, the accidental hero.

Joe Daniher gets his boot to the matchwinning goal. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

It was more than a dramatic night.

It was probably more than an epic night.

When’s the last time we had a final like that? Maybe 2016, the preliminary final between the Bulldogs and the Giants. Or even the 2018 grand final between Collingwood and West Coast.

But despite those momentous occasions, did they have the drama of Friday night?

The final quarter itself was spellbinding. Magical moments were complemented by monumental decisions, and the decision by the score reviewer to overturn the Tom Lynch goal – called by the goal umpire – had footy in a tizz.

It’s possible it went straight over the goalpost. It’s also possible it might be one the greatest injustices in finals history, a la Harmes’s thump in ’79, from the boundary line to Sheldon and for the Blues to win the flag.

Truth be told, Lynch was the giveaway. He didn’t celebrate.

That precious point gave the Lions the chance, and give them credit, they took it.

Even after Daniher’s goal, the Lions needed to stave off the Tigers.

Lachie Neale was best afield, Nankervis-McStay was the match-up of the evening, and, at the death, the tackle on a galloping Shai Bolton was the tackle of the night.

Lachie Neale produced one of the great finals performances. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Neale had 39 disposals and 15 clearances, and the Tigers will rue not shutting him down, yet his tackle on Bolton in Richmond’s final surge forward, was simply phenomenal.

Wracked by exhaustion, Neale launched at Bolton and dragged him to the ground. If he missed him, or broke Bolton broke the tackle, we could’ve witnessed yet another remarkable turn of events,

Yes, the Neale tackle was so good. The final quarter was so good.

It was one of those games where you thought the greatness would eventually seep out of the contest, such was the fury of play. But that never eventuated.

Eight goals were kicked in the first quarter, then nine in the second, 10 in the third and five in the final quarter.

The game was won and lost by both teams.

Jack Riewoldt’s two goals in the final quarter were clutch, but not clutch enough for the Tigers, and Marlon Pickett was outstanding.

For the Lions, Zac Bailey cemented his reputation as a big-moments player and Charlie Cameron looked like he wanted to remind All-Australian selectors they made a mistake.

The Lions march on, and they will be better with players to return.

And it ends an almost season by the Tigers.

They needed eight wins from eight games to win an improbable flag and then bowed out needing four from four, albeit they were far from disgraced.

A dejected Dustin Martin walks off after the Tigers’ heartbreaking loss. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The era is not over, but gee Friday night was familiar. They were lethal offensively, poor defensively, and lost the game by two points, their fifth defeat this season by fewer than six points.

In fact, their last five losses of the year were all by less than a goal.

It tells us they are close, but work has to be done.

It’s thought Essendon will make a late play for coach Damien Hardwick to coach them next year, and that there is a suggestion the Bombers may have already asked the question to Hardwick in the second half of the season.

But that won’t drag Hardwick from Punt Rd.

He is assembling a team that can easily bounce next season, and he won’t be going anywhere.

Neither will Dustin Martin, for that matter.

Originally published as AFL finals news: Mark Robinson on Brisbane Lions v Richmond elimination final