They say the Premiership Quarter is the third, but the Brisbane Lions could mount a strong argument that the second is just as important.
And given what we saw in the 2024 Grand Final, it’d be hard to argue against.
In a withering blast, the Lions all but ended the Swans’ hopes of a redeeming premiership with a stunning second quarter, slamming on seven goals to one to open up a match-winning lead, as their small forwards took over and the midfield squeezed the life out of the star-studded Sydney on-ball contingent.
Despite this result, the Lions won this flag the hard way.
After blowing their lines in the final round, they were forced to fight through to the Grand Final from fifth. Only once before has a team won their way to a flag from that position. They knocked over the Blues, with a glimpse into what was in-store for the Swans, smashing Carlton in the first half to cruise to a Qualifying Final berth.
From there, it was the Lions becoming the Comeback Kings, reining in the GWS Giants before moving on to dispose of the Cats in a classic Preliminary Final.
There were two schools of thought coming into this game – either the Lions had played their Grand Final two weeks in a row, against the Giants and Cats, or they were battle-hardened, and had taken the best the AFL could throw at them.
Confronting them were the Swans; the league’s benchmark for the whole year, save for a month where the wheels got a little shaky and started to come loose, provided a something new all together.
The Lions were familiar with Sydney – they’d knocked them over in Round 19 by just two points, and the footy world expected another tight result as they clashed again.
True to 2024 form, the results didn’t really care what expectations of the footy world were, and neither did the Lions. They gave the Swans a lesson in pressure footy in the second quarter, beating them at the contest, in the air, and out wide. It was comprehensive. It was powerful. It was match-winning.
The run of the Swans faltered, withering under the intense Brisbane pressure, and as the goals flowed for the Lions, the resolve of Sydney failed them.
The Lions took control.
The flag was theirs.
Yes, there was another half to play out, but the damage was done. The Lions put the Swans away early, and by the time they killed enough clock in the third quarter to put the result beyond doubt, it was party time for Chris Fagan and his club.
Late goals to Luke Parker gave the Swans’ score an ounce of respectability, but their confidence was destroyed a long time before that. For everything they tried, the Lions had the answer.
And then, Brisbane would ask some questions of their own.
Sydney are likely still searching for answers.
Speaking of which, time to find some answers, ourselves, with the biggest review of the season.
This is the 2024 AFL Grand Final Review. Let’s jump into The Big Questions.
The remainder of this article is for our members. They support me, and I provide for them. It’s a good deal.
HB writes several articles per week at The Mongrel for our members. He owns the place, y’know? This is one of them, and he believes work such as this is worth a mere pittance per day. If you don’t, that’s fine. You’re welcome to join and keep reading if you do.
