Carlton hit a 50-year low and narrowly avoided more unwanted AFL finals history before the Brisbane Lions defied brief resistance to seal a 28-point elimination final victory.
The Lions will play Greater Western Sydney next Saturday for a spot in a preliminary final against Geelong, ending the Blues’ fluctuating season with a 14.15 (99) to 11.5 (71) win on Saturday night.
The hosts kicked the first nine goals and notched the first 60 points of the contest, leaving the Blues as the first team not to score in the opening quarter of a finals game since 1974.
The inside-50 count was evenly split (56-56), but Brisbane’s centre-square dominance and delivery was far superior as Carlton stumbled towards half-time still searching for a point.
Patrick Cripps’ snapped major with five minutes remaining in the term meant they avoided becoming the first scoreless team after two terms in AFL history.
The margin was 47 at the main break, only one more than the deficit the Blues pulled back in an unbelievable opening-round win at the same venue.
And a miraculous repeat briefly looked possible as the Blues kicked five goals in 15 minutes.
The lead was 31 when the Lions butchered two brilliant chances to stop the rot, first Logan Morris hitting the post from directly in front, then Zac Bailey being run down when he received the ball in an open goal.
Callum Ah Chee’s goal soon afterwards settled any nerves, the Lions up by 40 points at the final break, only for the Blues to kick the game’s last three goals to complete the see-sawing contest.
“That’s probably the best footy we’ve played this year for 50, 55 minutes,” Lions coach Chris Fagan said, dismissing the significance of the Blues’ fightback.
“We wanted to try and get them on the back foot early … didn’t think we’d do it as well as that.
“It was a pretty emphatic performance.”
Jack Payne, returning from a foot injury, was substituted out with a knee injury that will require scans, but Fagan said there was optimism the key forward could still face the Giants on Saturday.
Dayne Zorko (29 disposals), Will Ashcroft (20) and Lachie Neale (27) were all superb for the hosts, while Cameron Rayner flew spectacularly for a mark that led to the second of his three goals.
Tom De Koning was influential as a tactical substitute in the second quarter for a desperate Carlton, while Cripps (31 touches, one goal) and Sam Walsh (28 touches) battled hard.
Sam Docherty, making a remarkable return less than six months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament at the same ground, had 16 touches and a late goal.
“Tonight was a small sample size of what our season’s been … it hasn’t been consistent enough,” said Voss.
“When you’re not consistent enough it compounds over time, you come to finals, against the best sides, the most extreme pressure … and you find out a bit about yourselves.
“We didn’t have our pressure at levels anywhere near where they needed to be.”
