And so, it is done. After a false start that sent a mighty scare through Brisbane, the Lions recovered – overhauling Carlton in the second quarter, putting a gap on them in the third, and holding them out in the last to book their spot in a grand final.
The Blues’ extraordinary run deep into September is over.
Brisbane 11.13 (79) defeated Carlton 9.9 (63).
This grand final has been a long time coming for Brisbane, and not just because it’s been 19 years since their last appearance in 2004, the last gasp of Michael Voss’s champion team. For coach Chris Fagan, it’s vindication, after dragging a broken group of young men from the bottom of the ladder and into consecutive, ultimately unsuccessful finals tilts since 2019.
That winning feeling: Brisbane are into the grand final.Credit: Getty Images
But this, as has been apparent for some time now, is a different, better balanced, more disciplined unit. Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale was good, but he wasn’t the driver of this victory. Running defender Keidean Coleman, hard-edged midfielder Josh Dunkley and ruckman Oscar McInerney all had bigger says.
Voss has now coached Carlton for two years, and the unlikeliest of finals dreams is over. But the combination of resilience and dare that the coach, his players and club have shown in recovering from 15th on the ladder after round 15 to reach the last four should be a watershed for this storied, proud, often vexatious club. Their fans, and their coach, should be proud.
Early on, Carlton looked more switched on and more desperate. When Lion Jarrod Berry was pinged for running too far in the opening minute, Matthew Cottrell found himself running into an open goal at the other end in the blink of an eye – Sam Walsh, the Blues’ best player again, winning the vital stoppage on the wing.
The Blues quickly established dominance in the air, Tom De Koning, Mitch McGovern and Harry McKay all taking important marks. McKay’s gave him a shot of much-needed confidence; when he won a free kick in the 10th minute, he curled in the set-shot snap from 35 metres without a blink. Blues fans – and they were the equal of the Lions’ – went berserk.
The upset was on. Eric Hipwood was mown down in a tackle, Brandon Starcevich gave away 50 metres, and Jack Martin had the Blues three goals up. They were more desperate, more physical, and for 10 minutes, the Lions went to water. A huge Charlie Curnow pack mark from a clean centre clearance had the scoreline 30–1 Carlton’s way.
It took a late goal to Hipwood to give the Lions a pulse. They started to win some one-on-one balls, and found their run: Coleman, Dayne Zorko and Conor McKenna all began to pierce the corridor, and Carlton’s wall. Cameron Rayner gave them an extra physical presence at the stoppages, and soon the turnovers started to come their way.
Of course, there was Joe Daniher. Just as Harris Andrews helped steady the ship in defence for Brisbane, Daniher’s leadership and influence was equal, whether relieving in the ruck or in attack. His second goal – the last in a Lions flurry equal to the Blues’ burst – saw the home side up by a point late in the first half.
The Blues went without a goal in the third quarter. After such an explosive start, now they finally looked like they had lead in their shoes, having been playing in the equivalent of elimination finals since June. Patrick Cripps – blanketed again by Dunkley – gave away 50 metres at the first bounce of the third quarter, and a second goal to McInerney.
The Blues could scarcely afford that. The Lions didn’t quite put them away in the third quarter, but they had survived the early scare, and players that had looked anxious, like Hipwood, were now assertive. Charlie Cameron had been controlled by Adam Saad, until he wasn’t. Country Roads rang out around the ground.
A 20-point lead was always going to be next to impossible for the exhausted Blues to run down. Lincoln McCarthy – another who had important moments throughout – made it 28, and the match was done, bar a couple of last flutters. Next week – 20 years since they last faced off – it will be the Brisbane Lions versus Collingwood again.
Brisbane Lions 1.2 6.6 9.9 11.13 (79)
Carlton 5.1 6.3 6.7 9.9 (63)
Goals – Brisbane Lions: Daniher 2 McInerney 2 McCarthy 2 Hipwood McKenna Lester Cameron Ah Chee. Carlton:Cripps 2 McKay 2 Cottrell Martin Docherty Curnow.
Best – Brisbane Lions: Coleman Dunkley McInerney McCluggage McCarthy Andrews. Carlton: Walsh Weitering Docherty Saad McGovern Newman.
Injuries – Brisbane Lions: TBC. Carlton: TBC.
Umpires: Foot, Stevic, Findlay, Gianfagna
Crowd: 36,012 at the Gabba.
