Since September 28th September 2024, I’ve been floating on a cloud of pure joy. Did that actually happen? Did the Brisbane Lions really win the Grand Final? And so comprehensively? By half time it felt like it was already over (a 46 point lead), and by ¾ time it was completely beyond the Sydney Swan’s reach – a 73 point lead.

There were so many things that made the result so much sweeter.

The loss by 4 points to Collingwood in the Grand Final the year before, in what was considered one of the best Grand Finals of recent times, certainly made this year’s achievement so very special. So many teams aren’t able to reach the same level the year after reaching the Grand Final. Some drop off drastically. And then there were the challenges during the season.

Watching Kiddy Coleman – one of our best players in 2023 – go down with a season-ending ACL injury in Opening Round wasn’t a great way to kick-off the season. Starting the 2024 season with 3 losses didn’t bode well for the season ahead. And losing three more players to season-ending ACL injuries didn’t help.

However from challenge comes opportunity. Linc McCarthy’s season ending injury, meant Kai Lohmann got a longer run in the 1sts as a small forward, culminating in his critical role in the Grand Final. Kiddy Coleman’s absence meant that the team needed to find elite foot skills in the back-line. Who could provide that? Enter Dayne Zorko. Someone who’d played the majority of his career as a midfielder and forward. Remarkably, Zorko not only delivered a superb season off half back, but was named an All-Australian for the first time at the age of 35, and played a pivotal role in the Grand Final, controlling the ball out of backline.

And one of the most amazing things about the victory, was the finals journey the Lions survived. Finishing 5th on the ladder meant that every week of the finals would be a sudden death final, and they would be playing 4 weeks straight. Only their first final was at home, against Carlton (5th v 8th) at the Gabba. After starting strongly, and keeping Carlton scoreless for the majority of the 1st half of the game, the scores tightened considerably, and the Lions eased to the line for a 28 point victory. That would be their last home game for the year.

The next week it seemed for a long time, it would be the Lions last game for the season. They were playing a Semi Final against GWS in Western Sydney, and things were not going well. Half way through the 3rd Quarter, the Lions trailed by 44 points. Remarkably, with a few minutes to go in the game, our unlikely hero Joe Daniher kicked one of the most clutch goals of the season, from an exceptionally difficult angle, to bring the Lions back to within a point of the GWS, and moments later a more straightforward goal to give the Lions a 5 point lead. Then the pressure really came on, with the Lions defending for their life to keep GWS at bay and record a most remarkable come from behind victory.

On to a preliminary final against a well-rested opponent Geelong. This is where it’s all meant to come undone for teams from the bottom 4 of the final 8. They’ve played an extra game, they’re playing away from home, and they’re playing a more fancied opponent, that has had a week’s rest. Once again the Lions didn’t read the script. After a poor 1st half – again – they slipped to 25 points down early in the 3rd Quarter. From that point however, by playing the daring football that typified the 2nd half of their season, they led Geelong by 2 points ¾ time.

The last two minutes of the game will live long in Lions folklore. As Geelong clawed back to the lead with 2 ½ minutes to go in the match, one could have been forgiven for thinking the battle weary Lions might have no more gas in the tank after such a hard fought series and game. But the next two centre clearances were astounding. The first delivered a floating punt to Charlie Cameron who got pole-axed, and would have received a free kick, but Cal Ah-Chee didn’t wait for that – he played on to kick the goal. A 5-point lead restored.

The next centre clearance was even more surreal. Geelong gained possession, and like a thief in the night, Will Ashcroft intercepted the clearing handpass, gave it off to Eric Hipwood who fed it to his great mate Cam Rayner who calmly slotted the goal on his left foot from well outside 50. There was an almost stunned disbelief in the stadium that in the space of 50 seconds the Lions had established an 11 point lead. The remaining minute and a half of the game was brutal, and the Lions prevailed by 10 points, to book a second Grand Final berth in successive years.

The Grand Final was an evenly fought contest at first, but in the 2nd Quarter the Lions clicked into gear. It was as if everything that had made them so successful in the second half of the season – by taking risks – came together. The coach Chris Fagan, had used an interesting catchphrase to inspire the team early in the season, when things looked grim.

If you’re skating on thin ice, you might as well dance

That approach led to the brave, adventurous, risk-taking football that got the Lions into the Finals, and then when in “sticky situations” in the Finals, saw them through. For the finals to end with the most complete and perfect performance in the Grand Final, was pure joy for me, and every other Brisbane Lions supporter.