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Brisbane Lions: 2024 AFL Premiers
THESE will forever be Brisbane's kings of the pride.
After last year's heartbreak, a 0-3 start to the season, five season-ending knee reconstructions, missing out on the top four, three finals on the road, a semi-final win for the ages and storylines everywhere you looked, Brisbane is the premier for 2024 after a Toyota AFL Grand Final dismantling of Sydney.
In the redemption cup – the Lions looking to go one better than their four-point loss to Collingwood and Sydney hoping to overturn its disastrous 2022 decider – it was Chris Fagan's men who saluted by 60 points in an MCG masterclass in front of 100,013 fans.
The 18.12 (120) to 9.6 (60) win delivered the Lions their first flag since 2003 and 12th through its Fitzroy history as Fagan lifted the cup in his eighth season at the helm.
This was a rough welcome to the jungle for the Swans – everywhere Sydney turned, Brisbane was there. Every way the Swans looked, the Lions had them covered.
It would have been a terrible case of deja vu for the Swans, with the club now losing its past four Grand Finals since 2012. Three of them have been thrashings.
Where to start with Brisbane's band of heroes? It was a Lions' share: Lachie Neale, carrying an ankle injury, was sensational as he saluted with a flag in his third Grand Final attempt with 34 disposals and nine clearances.
Kai Lohmann lit the fuse early and finished with four and Callum Ah Chee kept the flame alive throughout with four majors. Will Ashcroft, having missed last year's decider with his knee injury, was superb and showed again he is a champion in the making with 30 disposals and a goal. Joe Daniher is considering retirement but showed he is at the top of his game, with only inaccuracy potentially costing him a Norm Smith Medal.
But where the Lions were hot, Sydney brought the cold. It was difficult to find a winner for the Swans, who had their star-studded midfield nullified, their forward line shut down and their back half picked apart.
Katy Perry started the day with a roar, but the Lions added a mighty to it. Sydney struck first with the opening two goals, the first from Will Hayward and the second a superb snap from Tom Papley. But that mini lead didn't quite sum up the contest after the Lions' early inaccuracy.
Lohmann quickly changed that. The eye-catching Lion kicked their first, and then their second a minute later on his left foot to give Brisbane the energy it needed, his tongue-out celebration a spirit boost to match his side's ascendancy.
They continued to control the play with their uncontested marking game as Hugh McCluggage cruised into a third goal, with the gun midfielder tallying nine opening-quarter disposals.
James Rowbottom's long set shot was a steadier for the Swans, who were preferring their shorter forward targets than their key position options, but Charlie Cameron's snap from the boundary – and subsequent bow to the crowd – restored Brisbane's eight-point lead at the first change.
Brisbane's premiership was won in an exhilarating second quarter. The Lions kicked seven goals to one for the term and they came from everywhere as the Swans, for the second time in three years, were pounded.
Lohmann kicked his third from the pocket, Cameron spotted Daniher cleverly for another, Ah Chee's brilliant finals series continued with two for the term, Jarrod Berry capitalised on Nick Blakey's turnover to slot a long goal and Eric Hipwood kicked one of the great Grand Final goals from the boundary line after dodging Dane Rampe, slotting the goal and reprising three-time Lions premiership star Jason Akermanis' pseudo shocked celebration afterwards.
When Logan Morris booted their 11th, the Lions had leapt to a 46-point lead for half-time as their youth, speed and hardened run into the flag decider proved beneficial.
Where the Lions' big names and lesser lights all stood up – from first-year player Morris to champion two-time Brownlow medallist Neale – Sydney couldn't find a winner as its midfield was battered, its defence under siege and forward line ineffective.
Party time started early as Neale continued to dominate the midfield battle in the third quarter, with Daniher also showing up the Swans defence. If it is to be Daniher's last game of an enigmatic career – the 30-year-old is weighing his future – then he went out on a high, kicking 2.4 but proving pivotal to the Lions.
His forward presence, as well as important around-the-ground ruck efforts, helped a fleet of smaller Lions capitalise time after time.
Lions fans spent most of the second half rejoicing, as more highlights came their way: the Cam Rayner hanger, Ah Chee enjoying a day out, one last Lohmann flying grab and, of course, a Daniher left-foot snap to close things out. The pride of Brisbane town – and beyond.
SYDNEY 3.1 4.3 5.4 9.6 (60)
BRISBANE 4.3 11.7 16.11 18.12 (120)
GOALS
Sydney: Parker 3, Warner, Rowbottom, Papley, Heeney, Hayward, Fox
Brisbane: Lohmann 4, Ah Chee 4, Morris 2, Daniher 2, Rayner, McCluggage, Hipwood, Cameron, Berry, Ashcroft
INJURIES
Sydney: McDonald (ankle)
Brisbane: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Braeden Campbell (replaced Logan McDonald in the third quarter)
Brisbane: Conor McKenna (replaced Logan Morris in the final quarter)
Crowd: 100,013 at the MCG
Patrick Cripps: 2024 AFL Brownlow Medal Winner
CARLTON captain Patrick Cripps has won the 2024 Brownlow Medal with a record tally, becoming the 17th player in VFL/AFL history to win the prestigious award multiple times after adding to his 2022 triumph in an historic count on Monday night.
Cripps, who was in the medal-winning position from round six, polled an incredible 45 votes to win from Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos on 38, with the Magpies' brilliant onballer also breaking the previous record of 36.
Cripps was confirmed as the winner at round 21, polling three votes against Collingwood to ensure he could not be passed. When Daicos polled two votes in round 22, Cripps was declared the outright winner with two rounds to go.
It was an historic night as Carlton's inspirational leader smashed through the 40-vote mark and broke the previous record jointly held by Port Adelaide midfielder Ollie Wines (2021) and Richmond champion and 2017 winner Dustin Martin.
Port Adelaide midfielder Zak Butters (29, Fremantle vice-captain Caleb Serong (28), and Greater Western Sydney midfielder Tom Green (27) rounded out the top five, with Sydney's ineligible superstar Isaac Heeney polling 28 votes.
It was Cripps who always had their measure, however, after establishing an eight-vote lead at round 16 and leaning on a strong finish to the season to see off the charging Daicos, who polled in a record 10 consecutive games from round eight to 18.
Cripps joined champion midfielders Chris Judd and Greg Williams as dual medallists to have represented Carlton, but he became the first to win two Brownlow Medals as a Blue.
The crowning night capped off an outstanding season for the 29-year-old, who played every game and averaged 28.8 disposals, 8.0 clearances, 15.7 contested possessions, and 4.8 inside 50s, earning All Australian selection for the fourth time.
The 29-year-old accepted his medal from coach and 2006 winner Michael Voss and spoke about growing up in Northampton in Western Australia, looking up to West Coast superstars Ben Cousins and Chris Judd and dreaming of joining them as a Brownlow Medal winner.
"They probably inspired me to chase my dream, and now I'm in a position to inspire other young kids, and I don't take that lightly," Cripps said.
"I'm just someone who wants to chase my dreams and I love doing it. Now I know the impact I've had on young kids coming through, it's pretty special.
"All kids out there, or anyone in general, if you get after it in life and have a dream and work hard at it, you can do amazing things. Life is short, so get after it."
Cripps also paid tribute to the support of his wife Monique after the couple became parents to daughter Koda this year, with the midfielder happy and settled off the field in his 11th season.
He said his parents, Brad and Cath, had instilled great values in him that he carried still after being drafted with pick No.13 in the 2013 National Draft.
Last year's medallist Lachie Neale was considered a contender to go back-to-back but never got on a roll, finishing on 22 votes as he prepares for Saturday's Grand Final.
Heeney, who was ineligible to win after being suspended for striking in round 17, was atop the leaderboard for five weeks during the first half of the season but only polled seven votes after round 10.
Heeney and well ahead of Daicos (four) and Neale (two), who were expected to start slowly.
Daicos was entering a five-game block of outstanding form, however, and emerged with 13 of a possible 15 votes, rising to third with 17 votes to put himself back in the race.
Cripps was shaping as unstoppable, however, having kept his tally ticking over with three best afield matches to secure an outright lead after round 12 with 22 votes.
He was never headed from there, polling the maximum three votes six more times in the last 10 games to win in commanding style.
2024 Brownlow Medal, Top 10
Patrick Cripps - 45
Nick Daicos - 38
Zak Butters - 29
Caleb Serong - 28
Isaac Heeney* - 28
Tom Green - 27
Adam Treloar - 26
Errol Gulden - 25
Matt Rowell - 25
Jai Newcombe - 24
Be The Gift The Keeps That On Giving! Long Beach Gives 2024 Gaming Showcase
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