In a pulsating AFL Grand Final, the Brisbane Lions triumphed over the Sydney Swans by 60 points. The match, played in the celebrated Melbourne Cricket Ground, saw an impressive turnout of 100,013 spectators. The final score for Brisbane was 120, comprising 18 goals and 12 behinds, while Sydney managed 60 points, with 9 goals and 6 behinds.
Notably, Conor McKenna of Tyrone has made history by being the second player to be a winner of both the All-Ireland football and AFL Grand Final medals. Last year, McKenna rekindled his AFL career after winning the Sam Maguire with Tyrone in 2021. He had a previous unsuccessful stint with the Lions in the 2023 Grand Final, where they lost to Collingwood.
In stark contrast to the previous defeat, this time around, the Lions ousted Sydney Swans, hitting home 18 goals, doubling the margin hit by the Swans. Tadhg Kennelly of Kerry, who was part of the 2005 Grand Final winning Swans team and later assisted the Kingdom to seize the 2009 All-Ireland title, was one of the Swans’ notable players.
The Lions savoured their first title victory since 2003 and their fourth since the inauguration of the AFL as a national competition in 1990. Lions joint captain Lachie Neale exuded pride for his team and their spectacular comeback, whilst accepting the trophy.
The Sydney side, though putting up a strong fight and leading at every break, was struck down by Brisbane’s relentless attack, resulting in their fourth Grand Final defeat under Coach John Longmire. Despite the setback, Swans captain, Dane Rampe, stated that the team should be proud of their journey to the final.
The preceding entertainment, headed by American pop star Katy Perry, set the stage for an exciting match that saw Sydney draw the initial advantage with forwards Will Hayward and Tom Papley achieving consecutive goals.
In an electrifying performance, 21-year-old dynamo Kai Lohmann delivered two goals within a minute, aiding Brisbane in amplifying their possession authority. This supremacy persisted relentlessly into the second quarter, leading to a raucous rally by the Queensland team. Within 19 kicks, they managed to pull ahead with five key goals, inciting excitement among their supporters. The spectacle reached its peak when chief forward Eric Hipwood visibly shocked, executed an incredibly remarkable drop-punt from the boundary amidst a gusty wind.
Lagging behind with a meagre 27 against Brisbane’s 73 during half time, the Swans were left with no room for a slow-paced start in the third quarter. Yet, Brisbane’s midfield, driven by match top player Will Ashcroft (with 30 disposals) and Neale (with 35 disposals) ensured the lead only snowballed with continuous contribution to their forward line.
In the deciding quarter, Lohmann levelled up with his teammate Callum Ah Chee by registering his fourth goal, which made them the highest scorers of the match. This sensational performance culminated when tall forward Joe Daniher accomplished two goals, followed by an extremely emotional expression of team solidarity.
“Bizarrely enough, a team that was fifth in the league and had to compete every week, managed to seize the championship,” expressed 63-year-old Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, thereby becoming the eldest coach to acquire a Grand Final victory. His team’s strenuous journey to the final comprised sudden-death matches against Carlton, Greater Western Sydney, and Geelong without the privilege of a potential rest week that top-four regular season finishers usually enjoy. “We shall savour this momentous victory together in the days to come,” Fagan added.