Burgoyne gets an off-ball free for the first goal from mid-range to kick off the scoring in this one!
Lloyd converts a long set shot for Sydney’s opening major.
Sydney have been a tad lucky on some early umpiring decisions and have their noses in front, a rarity in 2024 and an ominous sign for the travelling Power.
Dixon feeds Drew who snaps across the face from 25m on a slight angle to the right.
Papley marks in the pocket just before the QT siren after Hayward catches Narkle HTB on members wing, he lights up the crowd with his first goal celebration!
Heeney beats Drew at a throw-in to the pocket but his left-foot snap is escorted through by Aliir on the behind line.
Miers intercepts a dump kick by McInerney 45m out on the flank but plays on and scrubs a kick OOTF under pressure. (Q1 2:43)
Stewart gathers a ground ball outside CHF and gives off to Zach Guthrie who hooks a quick snap to the left. (Q1 4:48)
Jeremy Cameron passes to Atkins just inside 50m on a slight angle, Cats getting repeat inside 50s early. Atkins hoofs it wide right. (Q1 5:25)
McCluggage gathers a ground ball in the back pocket but has no one to handball to, Holmes arrives to catch him HTB 30m out but shoots across the face to the right. (Q1 6:33)
Oliver Henry marks over Zorko at the hotspot after Holmes jets away from a stoppage on outer wing and bombs long. This set shot is a shocker, shanked right. (Q1 7:56)
Brisbane finally find a way to rebound through the corridor via Lester’s brave kick, Zorko passes to Fletcher 35m out on the boundary, he just misses to the left. (Q1 9:46)
There was a small shower just prior to the first bounce, but the scoreline so far is more indicative of nerves than a wet ball. (Q1 13:03)
Stewart bullocks Lohmann in the pocket 30m out but is a touch late and pinged for contact, footy gods push the curling free kick narrow to the left. (Q1 17:17)
Lohmann roves at the top of the square but shoots high and wide under a tackle, Charlie Cameron beats Stewart to mark next to the behind post and kicks the first goal, finally! (Q1 18:56)
Neale feeds Atkins from a pack on the HFF, he gives inside to Jeremy Cameron who does the rest off the right across the body from the hotspot. It’s a Cameron-off! (Q1 20:47)
Morris’ contest at half forward after the next bounce sets up Berry to rove and feed Bailey who rams through the goal from 45m on a slight angle, raining goals now! (Q1 22:02)
Neale clears from the next bounce, Charlie Cameron can’t get a handle but eventually Hipwood snaps off his left from the hotspot for another one for Brisbane! (Q1 23:16)
Jeremy Cameron gets a rather soft push free on Andrews 35m out on the flank but the footy gods keep his left-foot curler to the left for a point. (Q1 29:47)
Jeremy Cameron bombs high from a stoppage on the HFF, big pack forms and the crumb falls to the back where Oliver Henry kept his feet to gather and goal. (Q2 1:49)
Morris beats Jack Henry in a ground battle on members wing, chaos ball to half forward favours Daniher who passes to Ashcroft 45m out on the fat side who hits the post. (Q2 3:36)
Stewart’s long kick in is to an outnumber on outer wing, Rayner pumps it long for Morris to mark 10m out for his first goal at the MCG. (Q2 4:25)
Mannagh gathers Dangerfield’s centre clearance kick to grass on the HFF, scoots just ahead of Zorko and skids through a fabulous finish from 45m! (Q2 5:55)
Answerth spoils near the hotspot but straight to the corridor where Jeremy Cameron accepts the crumb and snaps his second goal to put Geelong in front! (Q2 9:05)
Close contests a Stewart kick to half forward after a run from half back, crumb falls to the pocket where Miers keeps it in and soccers to the square… Oliver Henry winner! (Q2 13:10)
McCluggage catches Holmes HTB trying to baulk away from a stoppage 40m out in front. Clug not a noted set shot goalkicker, but he steers this one straight through. (Q2 17:37)
Ah Chee keeps his feet to rove 40m out, give inside to Cameron who releases Bailey to shoot from 25m… terrible, skewed wide left. (Q2 18:50)
Bailey spoils Neale’s kick from the HFF to the hotspot but there are too many Cats at the fall, Bowes feeds Miers to ram through the goal from 15m! (Q2 21:55)
Bailey gets another chance on the run from 50m on a slight angle after the Lions get the next centre clearance, but sprays this one right. (Q2 23:25)
Another fast break by the Cats at full pelt, McInerney spoils at the hotspot but Oliver Henry feeds Dempsey who bounces through another one from the pocket 20m out! (Q2 25:25)
Zorko roves another long ball to the teeth of goal but his bouncing handball to the boundary is straight to Miers who tries his luck with a wobbler from 25m… drops in! (Q2 27:00)
Another long ball to the top of the square, two Cats there but Zorko’s desperate dive forces a fluffed kick by Stengle then Dempsey volleys into the post! (Q2 28:39)
Stengle snaps over the shoulder from behind a stoppage 25m out but it’s narrow to the left. (Q2 34:57)
Stengle drops a mark in the pocket 25m out, keeps his feet to rove but grubbers across the face for no score in the first minute of Q3 after a Dangerfield centre clearance. (Q3 0:47)
Holmes jumps out of the ground to intercept Zorko on members wing, he has Dangerfield over the back to waltz into goal. Grim signs all round for Brisbane early in Q3. (Q3 2:44)
Dunkley catches a dithering Bowes HTB on members wing, Zach Guthrie is in position to intercept on the flank 35m out but is spoiled, crumb for Ah Chee who curls in the goal! (Q3 4:24)
Mannagh marks on the flank 35m out but tries a dribbler after playing on, the ball sits up for Zorko to rush. (Q3 6:47)
Brisbane rebounds coast to coast, Neale marks Charlie Cameron’s pass 40m out then passes back to Charlie near the hotspot… he converts! (Q3 7:14)
Lohmann rams through another one from 15m after sharking Stewart’s handball outside a stoppage caused by Morris pressure, Lions back within a single-figure margin! (Q3 11:24)
Bruhn gives to Blicavs on his own at the hotspot who snaps over his shoulder off the left off a step… that one falls in! (Q3 14:29)
Starcevich keeps a ground ball alive on members wing and fires a handball inside to Lohmann, Ah Chee takes a link mark and feeds Rayner who goals from 45m on a slight angle! (Q3 16:44)
Starcevich intercepts at half back and tries a long kick up the guts, works for McCluggage to eventually set up Rayner to kick from CHF, clears Ah Chee and Bews to bounce through! (Q3 19:44)
Ah, but a review confirms Bews’ claim that he got a finger on it, just a point. (Q3 20:04)
Zorko centres to the corridor, Ah Chee gives off to Bailey who serves to 20m to kick his second goal! Lions back within a point not. (Q3 23:21)
After Starcevich hits a loose ball hard in the centre, Hipwood takes a link mark and hits the lead of Lohmann 40m out wide on the flank. Any score gives Brisbane the lead… (Q3 26:29)
Lohmann leaves his set shot narrow to the left. (Q3 26:29)
After a 50m penalty against Bews, Rayner roves an inside 50 kick by McCluggage but misses from 25m. (Q3 29:17)
Oliver Henry gives wide to Mannagh after the first bounce of Q4, he shoots from 50m on the flank to an empty square… skids into the far left post. (Q4 0:26)
Bailey is free for a switch on rebound around outer wing, Charlie Cameron chips to Ah Chee 30m out on a slight angle, he boots goal number two! (Q4 9:25)
Charlie Cameron tries an outrageous scissor kick to clear congestion on outer wing, it works and sets up McKenna to send Morris into the open goal! (Q4 11:40)
Blicavs clears from the next bounce to HFF where Neale marks on the lead 45m out. His kick is short and intercepted by Daniher for no score! (Q4 13:12)
Jeremy Cameron marks 50m out on the flank. Big kick for Jezza but he tugs it way to the right. (Q4 13:58)
Lohmann takes a flying mark over his teammate Ah Chee at the hotspot but his set shot slices to the right. (Q4 16:39)
Oliver Henry marks in front of Payne in the pocket 30m out after a rebound around outer wing. He curls in goal number three, Cats back within a kick! (Q4 17:40)
6:19 to play and it’s been a heavyweight stoush from start to finish, haymakers flying thick and fast now. (Q4 17:50)
Jeremy Cameron receives outside a stoppage for a snap across the body off the right from near the hotspot but it bounces wide to the right. (Q4 20:05)
Five minutes to go and it’s anyone’s! (Q4 20:24)
Guthrie intercepts a Hipwood kick towards the square in front of Charlie Cameron to prevent a score. (Q4 22:27)
Rayner takes a specky in the centre and has Bailey on the overlap but Stewart catches him HTB, Cats rebound up the guts, Oliver Henry curls in the go-ahead goal from the pocket! (Q4 23:40)
2:42 to play and Brisbane are behind again. (Q4 23:55)
Secondary ball up, 2:37. (Q4 24:25)
And another in the centre, 2:31. (Q4 24:44)
Answerth clears, Charlie Cameron halves against two and gets a free, Ah Chee didn’t hear and shoots off a step from 45m… wobbles through for a massive goal! (Q4 25:17)
Daniher’s smother set up that crucial clearance. (Q4 25:17)
2:12 to play and now it’s Geelong who needs to score. (Q4 25:45)
Secondary ball up. 2:03. (Q4 26:12)
Ashcroft sharks Duncan to start a surge, Rayner skids through the goal from half forward, Lions might just be home with that score! (Q4 26:45)
1:45 to play and now Geelong needs two goals to pinch this one! (Q4 26:45)
Crucial fend and give off by Hipwood to get the goal assist on that play, but that was pure talent from Rayner. (Q4 27:11)
Atkins to Dangerfield at the next bounce but his handball misses Stewart, eventually Humphries speculates inside 50, Duncan gets a chance but Payne mows him down HTB! (Q4 27:57)
Clock now at 1:10 and that might have been the last chance for the Cats… (Q4 28:10)
Atkins p[umps it back in from members wing, Dangerfield long to the square, Stanley flies and draws a front-on contact free on Andrews, VERY soft… hits the post! (Q4 29:04)
Rayner bombs to empty grass at half forward, siren goes with Geelong on the counter, Brisbane makes the grand final in an epic! (Final Siren)
