There was barely a kick in it nearing midway through the second quarter, until Brisbane exploded, kicking six consecutive goals to blow the game open.

They only consolidated the margin from there, becoming the second team this century to win a premiership from outside the top four.

In a game between the last two runners-up, there was always going to be heartbreak, and it unfortunately was inflicted upon Sydney who lost their fourth consecutive Grand Final (2014, 2016, 2022, 2024).

It leaves John Longmire with a 1-4 record in Grand Finals.

SECOND HALF

Logan McDonald, who had just one disposal in the first half after coming into the game under an injury cloud (ankle), was subbed out for Braeden Campbell just minutes into the third quarter.

The Swans got a let-off when Charlie Cameron received a free kick for being held, basically at the top of the goal square, but missed the set shot.

Brisbane still got the opener eight minutes into the third quarter, Cal Ah Chee’s third goal blowing the margin out to 53 points.

Isaac Heeney got a much-needed major for the Swans but a piece of forward 50 stoppage brilliance by Will Ashcroft gave the Lions the goal right back.

A huge grab and banana from Cam Rayner put the margin out to 60 points and seemingly beyond any doubt.

In the final seconds of the third term, Ah Chee kicked his fourth running into an open goalsquare, moving into Norm Smith contention along with Will Ashcroft and Lachie Neale.

The game then slowly moved towards its inevitable conclusion.

SECOND QUARTER

After a cagey start to the second term, a brilliant piece of transition play heavily featuring Lachie Neale and capped off by Kai Lohmann’s third goal saw Brisbane threatening to break away.

However a push by the Lions’ Zac Bailey was missed in the build-up.

In perhaps a piece of karma, a brutally unfair 50-metre penalty against Dayne Zorko allowed Sydney to get the much-needed response through Robbie Fox, trailing 33-26.

“That is not correct! Oh umpire… he got to the right spot!” Dermott Brereton said on SEN radio.

Kai Lohmann had a shot at his fourth goal, following the Lions’ ninth mark inside 50 through a quarter and a half, but missed a difficult set shot to make it 37-26.

But they quickly added their 10th and 11th marks inside 50, Joe Daniher and Callum Ah Chee both kicking truly for a 49-26 lead.

Jarrod Berry intercepted a rushed Swans kick out of defence and booted truly from 40 metres out to add Brisbane’s third in a row, extending the lead out to 29 points.

The only bad news at this point for the Lions was Cam Rayner being forced to the bench after a brutal collision.

Yet a freakish Eric Hipwood goal from the pocket showed the Lions could not be stopped, and Cal Ah Chee then added another. Suddenly it was a staggering 67-26 advantage.

“This is starting to unravel,” James Brayshaw said on Seven, in something of an understatement.

Sydney’s Hayden McLean had a chance to counter the momentum after a big mark at the other end but missed his set shot from right in front.

Brisbane took an 11.7 (73) to 4.3 (27) lead into halftime. Their 46-point lead was bigger than the largest halftime deficit ever overcome in a V/AFL Grand Final, the 44 point comeback by Carlton over Collingwood in 1970.

FIRST QUARTER

Brisbane appeared to have the opening goal of the game after Lachie Neale played on from an infringement on Charlie Cameron, but the mark was instead paid to Cameron (and advantage cannot be paid from a mark), and the forward missed the set shot from 40 metres out. He still showed promising signs with two great tackles in the ensuing minutes.

A few minutes later Joe Daniher kicked across the face from his own set shot, on a similar angle as seen during his heroics late in the semi-final comeback. It was not the start the Lions, who famously struggled with accuracy at times during the season, would have wanted.

Will Hayward ended up nabbing the first goal for Sydney, playing advantage from a tunnelling free kick paid to Joel Amartey, before Tom Papley goalled within seconds from the ensuing centre bounce for an early 13-2 lead.

A clean bit of ball movement through the corridor with Kai Lohmann on the end of it got Brisbane on the board, with their uncontested ball movement too hard to stop.

An excellent centre clearance enabled Lohmann to snap a second just moments later, and the Lions led 14-13.

They were showing success with both modes of their game, taking 31 marks with seven minutes left in the term, but also moving the ball at pace by hand, as they did in the second half against Geelong a week earlier.

Nick Blakey was left angry after appearing to receive high contact in a contest on the 50-metre arc, the Lions instead playing on and goalling through Hugh McCluggage, but an excellent James Rowbottom set shot soon gave Sydney their third goal in return.

More clean ball movement allowed Charlie Cameron to snap the Lions’ fourth with seconds left in the quarter, and they went into the opening break up 4.3 (27) to 3.1 (19).

In an extremely promising sign for Brisbane, they had taken 46 marks by quarter-time. They are 30-3 over the last three years when taking at least 110 marks for the match.

1PM — FINAL TEAMS REVEALED

Footy bosses Danny Daly (Brisbane) and Leon Cameron (Sydney) both revealed their sides will go in unchanged.

It means Logan McDonald is fine to line up for the Swans despite fitness concerns.

Braeden Campbell (Sydney) and Conor McKenna (Brisbane) were named the subs.

GRAND FINAL TEAMS

Sydney Swans

B: D.Rampe – C, T.McCartin, N.Blakey

HB: J.Lloyd, H.Cunningham, L.Melican

C: J.Jordan, Ch. Warner, O.Florent

HF: L.Parker, L.McDonald, E.Gulden

F: T.Papley, J.Amartey, W.Hayward

FOLL: B.Grundy, I.Heeney, J.Rowbottom

I/C: M.Roberts, B.Campbell, J.McInerney, H.McLean, R.Fox

EMG: A.Francis, P.Ladhams, C.Cleary

No changes

Coach: John Longmire

Brisbane Lions

B: D.Zorko, H.Andrews, C.McKenna

HB: D.Wilmot, J.Payne, R.Lester

C: J.Fletcher, W.Ashcroft, H.McCluggage

HF: C.Rayner, J.Daniher, J.Berry

F: C.Cameron, E.Hipwood, Z.Bailey

FOLL: D. Fort, J.Dunkley, L.Neale – C

I/C: K.Lohmann, C.Ah Chee, L.Morris, B.Starcevich, N.Answerth

EMG: H.Sharp, H.Smith, D.Joyce

IN: D.Fort – OUT: O.McInerney (shoulder)

Coach: Chris Fagan