Brisbane Blitz: Lions Go Back-to-Back in a Brutal Second Half Surge

They say Grand Finals are won in moments. But this one? Brisbane turned moments into a maelstrom. After going into the sheds locked at 36-all, the Lions uncorked a second half for the ages—running over Geelong by 47 points to claim back-to-back premierships.

Final score: Brisbane 18.14 (122) def. Geelong 11.9 (75)
Crowd: 100,022 at the MCG
📸 Watch the highlights on AFL.com.au

⏱️ Quarter-by-Quarter Recap

Q1: Tight and Tense

Geelong came in hot. They owned territory early but couldn’t convert dominance into scoreboard pain. Ollie Dempsey and Oisín Mullin got the Cats on the board, while Brisbane looked fumbly in the forward half.

Brisbane’s Kai Lohmann—bloodied early—returned to kick their first, but Zac Bailey left at least two goals behind with wayward kicking.

Score:
Geelong 2.3 (15)
Brisbane 1.6 (12)

Q2: Blow for Blow

The second quarter saw a classic midfield arm wrestle. Brisbane tightened up, found targets inside 50, and Eric Hipwood finally broke free for a much-needed goal.

But the Cats refused to fold. Max Holmes began to assert himself, while Jeremy Cameron—struggling with a shoulder knock—pushed through gritted teeth.

By halftime, scores were level. The first Grand Final halftime tie since 1909.
(5.6.36 apiece)

Q3: Neale Subbed In, Lions Ignite

Here’s where it broke open.

With the game delicately poised, Chris Fagan pulled a rabbit: activating Lachie Neale as the sub after days of speculation about his calf injury. Neale delivered immediately—helping spark a 3-goal run in the final 10 minutes of the quarter.

• Charlie Cameron slotted two.
• Neale launched from 50 and hit it flush.
• Geelong, wounded and flagging, couldn’t keep up.

3QT Score:

Geelong 6.8 (44)
Brisbane 9.9 (63)

Q4: Lions Unleashed

Brisbane turned the last into a party.

Charlie Cameron put the dagger in early with his fourth. Cam Rayner, Will Ashcroft, and Jaspa Fletcher ran riot. Geelong defenders were left pointing at empty space as Lions forwards wheeled around inside 50.

Final quarter scoreline? Brisbane piled on 9 goals to 5. The Cats were broken by the 20-minute mark.

Geelong 11.9 (75)
Brisbane 18.14 (122)

🥇 Norm Smith Medal – Will Ashcroft

Back-to-back Norms for Ashcroft.

• 32 disposals
• 10 clearances
• 10 score involvements
• 575 metres gained
• 1 goal

At 21, he’s already writing his own chapter in Grand Final folklore.

🏅 “He’s untaggable, unstoppable, unshakable.” — Mark Robinson, Herald Sun
🎥 Post-match Ashcroft highlights

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Levi Ashcroft of the Lions and Will Ashcroft of the Lions celebrate with the Premiership Cup after winning the AFL Grand Final match between Geelong Cats and Brisbane Lions at Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 27, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

👑 Other Standouts

• Charlie Cameron: 4.2, including a killer double in Q3.
• Max Holmes (Geelong): 33 disposals, 900+ metres gained — carried the load solo.
• Hugh McCluggage: 26 disposals, 4 goals. Criminally underrated performance.
• Harris Andrews: Dominant behind the ball, voted 2nd in Norm Smith count.

🧑‍⚖️ Umpiring Controversy? Not This Time.

Despite the usual nerves, the umpires kept a clean sheet. No major controversies marred the contest.

Umpiring panel: Meredith, Meyer, Mollison, Stephens.
Sub: Nick Foot

Compare that to the qualifying final—where AFL admitted a missed free to Cam Rayner—but this Grand Final? The whistle was… fair.

🧠 Game-Changing Moment

Neale’s third quarter sub-in.

Some questioned the late call, but he swung midfield momentum. In six minutes, Brisbane went from flat to furious. That’s a Brownlow winner in full flight—even at 80%.

“Chris Fagan called it perfectly. That move rattled Geelong.” — Gerard Whateley, SEN

🏁 Final Thoughts

• Geelong ran out of steam and answers.
• Brisbane played like a team with nothing to prove — and everything to claim.
• Back-to-back premierships cements them as the team of the moment.

Cats coach Chris Scott summed it up best post-game:

“They overwhelmed us. We gave everything, but they had another gear.”
📺 Press conference video

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