Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has hailed his side’s resilience in the face of adversity after claiming their first AFL premiership in more than two decades with a 60-point thrashing of Sydney in the grand final.
Norm Smith medallist Will Ashcroft (30 possessions) starred in the 18.12 (120) to 9.6 (60) victory at the MCG on Saturday, which completed the Lions’ long climb to the summit under their 63-year-old mentor.
Fagan took over eight years ago after a three-win season and is now the competition’s oldest premiership coach.
He is also the first VFL/AFL flag-winning tactician who never played a senior game.
The ultimate success came despite Brisbane making a horror start to the 2024 campaign after last year’s heartbreaking grand final defeat to Collingwood.
The Lions lost five players to serious knee injuries and were teetering at different stages – falling to 2-5 and 4-6-1 records – before a nine-match winning streak lifted them back into premiership contention.
Back on the big stage after three tough knockout finals wins, Fagan’s men broke open the premiership decider with seven goals to one in a stunning second-quarter blitz.
“(Resilience) has been a theme all year for us,” Fagan said.
“We were in a lot of trouble at the halfway mark of the season and we’ve found a way to get ourselves back into the contest.
“Somehow or other we’re here today.
“For me personally, I know we’ve played finals the last six years, but last year was probably the first time I genuinely thought we were a chance to win it.
“I felt we were a developing team up until then and last year was a big disappointment for us … but today we were able to put all our learnings into place and win a premiership.”
In rising from fifth on the ladder, Brisbane became just the second team under the current finals system – introduced in 2000 – to win the premiership from outside the top four.
Fittingly, legendary former coach Leigh Matthews presented the premiership cup to Fagan – as well as co-captains Lachie Neale and Harris Andrews, and former skipper Dayne Zorko – after guiding the Lions to a famous hat-trick of flags in 2001-2003.
Neale and Andrews were presented with the first Ron Barassi Medals as winning skippers.
Ashcroft joined his father Marcus as a Lions premiership player and was best afield in front of 100,013 fans, starring alongside Neale (34 disposals) in a dominant midfield.
The 20-year-old missed last year’s finals series and most of this season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament, but fought back to play a crucial role in the Lions’ success.
Callum Ah Chee and Kai Lohmann both kicked four goals, while Zorko (26 disposals) was also influential, and Joe Daniher (16 touches, 2.4) stood out in what could be his final game, with the veteran forward considering retirement.
Ah Chee executed his role on All-Australian defender Nick Blakey perfectly, as did Brandon Starcevich on dangerous Swans forward Tom Papley.
Darcy Fort held his own against Brodie Grundy in the ruck after being called on to replace Oscar McInerney, who was ruled out with a shoulder injury.
Lohmann was the fire-starter for Brisbane with two goals in a minute during the first quarter.
They led by eight points at quarter-time and took a stranglehold on the contest by piling on 7.4 to 1.2 in the second term.
The stunning surge included a brilliant goal from Eric Hipwood on the boundary line as the Lions’ lead ballooned to 46 points by the main break.
They never relented, kicking away after half-time as a rock-solid defence led by Andrews held firm.
Cam Rayner (one goal) provided a highlight when he soared over Tom McCartin to haul in a spectacular mark during the third term.
Fagan and Sydney counterpart John Longmire agreed Brisbane’s work at the contest was the difference in the match-winning period before half-time.
“We needed to put more pressure around the ball. That’s what we needed to do,” Longmire said.
“We needed more from everybody. We needed more across the board, there’s no question about that.
“We needed more right across the board and we didn’t get it.”
Minor premiers Sydney’s defeat was their fourth in a grand final since the 2012 flag, leaving Longmire with a 1-4 record as coach in season deciders.
The latest flop came two years after a horror 81-point defeat to Geelong on the same stage.
“It’s clearly disappointment,” Longmire said of his overriding emotion.
“I don’t think we gave it our best shot compared to what we’ve been doing and didn’t do what was required on the day.”
Key forward Logan McDonald took an ankle concern into the grand final and had to be substituted out at half-time after re-injuring the joint.
Superstar midfielder Isaac Heeney also sat out most of the final term, struggling with a stress reaction that hampered him during the finals series.
Errol Gulden and Oliver Florent (24 disposals each) were the Swans’ best ball-winners on a dismal day, and veteran Luke Parker finished with three goals.
