Review Grand Final, 2024 - Sydney vs. Brisbane Lions

[mpal6]

And now it looks like they are being picked apart as well. This will likely feel to them like the one that got away and it probably is to be honest.

Yep, it's similar to our 2020 covid season when Grand final was at Gabba. We had already beaten Richmond in QF and had our mind in Grandfinal but Geelong did a job on us in prelim. That felt like our biggest missed opportunity.

 

[BrisVegasDru]

I have a question. How long is it acceptable to wear Lions gear around outside? I've been wearing something every day since last Saturday. Whether it's for a run or a bike ride or a walk or to the cafe/supermarket or for a beer at the pub.

Normally when we have a good win I'm happy to wear the colours until the next game is closer (so if we play on Friday night and then the following Saturday, Tuesday is my cut off) but if that rule applies after a Grand Final by my estimation that just about takes us to Christmas.

This is fine right? I might order the premiership polo so I have a bit more of a wardrobe to rotate through

own about 6 Lions polos and have been wearing them constantly since that hallowed day, have ordered the premiership polo and pleased to say am waiting whilst they get more in stock, so merch sales seem to be going very well

 

[M Malice]

O’s face is priceless

View attachment 2134710

Great photo of the midfield group.

 

[KissKiss]

It's hard to beat the 2018 Tigers game where we scored 17 points for the lowest point. At least we eventually scored 65 points in the Pies game

I was at that game and was sitting next to the Tigers cheersquad. It was pretty brutal at some point I thought we were slightly on the improve from 2016 but this was such a reality check and just continued the terrible experiences we had at that ground. Such a massive change to now

 

[M Malice]

5, and 6 to come.

 

[Sproj]

5, and 6 to come.
View attachment 2134948

*5, 6, 7, 8 and 9

 

[OldLion]

Moments ..

1st qtr - 9:24 Hugh honors Ryan's run thru' the middle to set up first goal. The courage and skill blueprint that knocked off the Cats in THE epic final is back. Confidence restored.

2 qtr - 5:45 Starce - intercept mark and kicks to Berry who fumbles behind the centre. Lloyd grabs it and is hit by the Starce steam train which jars the ball loose - back to Berry to clear. Who then marks and goals 30 secs later. We are just too hard at it.

3rd qtr - 0.46 Joe's run down tackle of Gulden spills to Cam and sets up Cal's run to paradise moment. Game over. Party time for the next 30 mins.

Dream land.

 

[M Malice]

Goosebumps and tears.

 

[braddsey]

Yesterday Fox Footy played reruns of the semi and the grand final. Just looking at the semi final after Greene kicked a goal at the start of the last quarter and we are 31 points down, it's wild that we won the flag from that stage. Best finals run of all time? Riding that wave through the 5 years of bottom four finishes, playing GWS at the gabba in front of 10K, all the way through our rise to the top and seeing us lose a close one and then ultimately dominate and win a flag in person, with some of the same squad, what a special journey it was as a supporter, something that many supporters will never get to experience

I think “best finals run of all time” (in recent memory!!) is still probably with the Bulldogs.

• Final round they lost to Freo in Perth, finished 7th.
• EF beat West Coast in Perth.
• SF beat Hawthorn in Melbourne.
• PF beat GWS in Western Sydney.
• GF beat Sydney in Melbourne.

looking at their quarter-by-quarter scores they were close or ahead for all their finals matches.

Our run is certainly the most miraculous! I’m sure questions will be asked for a long time about how GWS let the SF match slip… on the flip side questions could be asked how we let them get out to a 44 point lead… but winners are grinners!

 

[Grasshopper17]

I think “best finals run of all time” (in recent memory!!) is still probably with the Bulldogs.

• Final round they lost to Freo in Perth, finished 7th.
• EF beat West Coast in Perth.
• SF beat Hawthorn in Melbourne.
• PF beat GWS in Western Sydney.
• GF beat Sydney in Melbourne.

looking at their quarter-by-quarter scores they were close or ahead for all their finals matches.

Our run is certainly the most miraculous! I’m sure questions will be asked for a long time about how GWS let the SF match slip… on the flip side questions could be asked how we let them get out to a 44 point lead… but winners are grinners!

I think the two sets of 8 day breaks the Bulldogs had, not to mention the two home finals they had but didn't earn counts against them pretty significantly. Not once did they travel in consecutive weeks.

Not to mention their game plan of handballing round and round in circles was so ugly as to render their entire 2016 season almost unwatchable.

 

[M Malice]

I think the two sets of 8 day breaks the Bulldogs had, not to mention the two home finals they had but didn't earn counts against them pretty significantly. Not once did they travel in consecutive weeks.

Not to mention their game plan of handballing round and round in circles was so ugly as to render their entire 2016 season almost unwatchable.

Yep, I admit bias but our flag was more difficult to achieve than the Dogs, 3 consecutive travels is a big hurdle to overcome.

We also had a shorter break than the Swans leading into the GF.

 

[Dalions]

Yep, I admit bias but our flag was more difficult to achieve than the Dogs, 3 consecutive travels is a big hurdle to overcome.

We also had a shorter break than the Swans leading into the GF.

Not to mention beating the teams that finished 4th, 3rd and 1st all away from home one after the other.

 

[M Malice]

Not to mention beating the teams that finished 4th, 3rd and 1st all away from home one after the other.

 

[buttermuffs]

I think the two sets of 8 day breaks the Bulldogs had, not to mention the two home finals they had but didn't earn counts against them pretty significantly. Not once did they travel in consecutive weeks.

Not to mention their game plan of handballing round and round in circles was so ugly as to render their entire 2016 season almost unwatchable.

I’d say the grand final against Sydney was a home ground advantage but the second week against Hawthorn who actually plays at the MCG wouldn’t classify as a home game in my opinion.

The main difference and the reason I think the Dogs may have a slight leg up is that they had four weeks of challenging games while our first week against Carlton was relatively simple. The dogs beat a Hawthorn who was looking to win four in a row as well which cannot be understated.

For us, our finals was so good because of our ability to overcome adversity in clawing back two deficits in the semi and prelim, but those are positions we also put ourselves in.

They are both spectacular finals runs and the only two from outside the top four in the current finals system. They will both be understandably celebrated in the long run.

 

[braddsey]

Not to mention their game plan of handballing round and round in circles was so ugly as to render their entire 2016 season almost unwatchable.

I was overseas, but maybe that’s why I have almost no recollection of their 2016 season or finals run!
(Other than the Bob Murphy premiership medal thing)

 

[Grasshopper17]

I’d say the grand final against Sydney was a home ground advantage but the second week against Hawthorn who actually plays at the MCG wouldn’t classify as a home game in my opinion.

To me it's more about the travel than anything. And I think that's really been highlighted by this year's competitive balance review. Anyone who thinks the Victorian teams playing home games that are actually "neutral games" balances out the fact they only travel 5-8 times a year has rocks in their heads. Same principle here.

 

[Happy_Neale]

I’d say the grand final against Sydney was a home ground advantage but the second week against Hawthorn who actually plays at the MCG wouldn’t classify as a home game in my opinion.

The main difference and the reason I think the Dogs may have a slight leg up is that they had four weeks of challenging games while our first week against Carlton was relatively simple. The dogs beat a Hawthorn who was looking to win four in a row as well which cannot be understated.

For us, our finals was so good because of our ability to overcome adversity in clawing back two deficits in the semi and prelim, but those are positions we also put ourselves in.

They are both spectacular finals runs and the only two from outside the top four in the current finals system. They will both be understandably celebrated in the long run.

The hawks were done, lost their grand final the week before against the cats who ended up getting spanked in the prelim. I think the dogs had a very good run opponent wise, eagles and Swans were noted finals chokers at that stage and the Hawks were at the tail end of their dynasty. Their away prelim win vs. GWS was hugely meritorious though.

In contrast GWS had beaten us twice this year and we hadn’t beaten Geelong in Melbourne for 20 odd years, plus the fact the dogs got two home state finals they didn’t earn including a home grand final against a higher placed team. Carlton was a walkover but aside from that we couldn’t have had a harder run in weeks 2 and 3.

 

[Sproj]

And honestly, the umps were not going to let Footscray lose that GF, it was embarrassing.

 

[M Malice]

And honestly, the umps were not going to let Footscray lose that GF, it was embarrassing.

 

[Section 5]

I think the two sets of 8 day breaks the Bulldogs had, not to mention the two home finals they had but didn't earn counts against them pretty significantly. Not once did they travel in consecutive weeks.

Not to mention their game plan of handballing round and round in circles was so ugly as to render their entire 2016 season almost unwatchable.

Was that not the year throwing became legal at AFL level

 

[Dalions]

Was that not the year throwing became legal at AFL level

For the dogs yes.
And the rest of the AFL to follow.

 

[M Malice]

LOL! and LOVE at the same time >

 

[Albi_Mangler]

I think “best finals run of all time” (in recent memory!!) is still probably with the Bulldogs.

• Final round they lost to Freo in Perth, finished 7th.
• EF beat West Coast in Perth.
• SF beat Hawthorn in Melbourne.
• PF beat GWS in Western Sydney.
• GF beat Sydney in Melbourne.

looking at their quarter-by-quarter scores they were close or ahead for all their finals matches.

Our run is certainly the most miraculous! I’m sure questions will be asked for a long time about how GWS let the SF match slip… on the flip side questions could be asked how we let them get out to a 44 point lead… but winners are grinners!

My memory of the Giants v Dogs PF was that it was one of the worst one-side umpiring displays I have ever seen. Not seen anything close to it since.

 

[Sproj]

And honestly, it was embarrassing how much the umps were trying to keep Sydney in it this year in the GF too, shows how good we were on the day.

 

[Denno]

My memory of the Giants v Dogs PF was that it was one of the worst one-side umpiring displays I have ever seen. Not seen anything close to it since.

Yep, but the week after was worse. Was an absolute joke.

Also, the week off allowed them to get players back (that they otherwise wouldn't have), and it also caught the comp by surprise by skewing the advantage against the top 4 (that won their 1st finals). 8 years later teams are better prepared.

I'm biased, but I think our run was clearly better.