Brisbane’s remarkable semi-final win over GWS was so thrilling it left coach Chris Fagan physically shaking on the sidelines, star Lachie Neale has revealed.
The Lions were down by as many as 44 points before storming home with the final six goals of the game to claim a five-point victory and set up a preliminary final showdown with Geelong.
There were incredible post-match scenes as a jubilant Fagan raced out onto the field and embraced his players.
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Neale could only laugh as recalled how pumped Fagan was in the immediate siren aftermath.
“He’s been under the pump a little bit,” Neale told Fox Footy.
“The boys love him.
“When I gave him a hug, his heart rate was about 220 so I just said ‘Mate, you better settle down a little bit’.
“He was shaking! It was unbelievable!”
Fox Footy’s Jason Dunstall was clearly entertained as he watched the Fagan exchange unfold.
“His heart was nearly jumping out of his chest,” he laughed.
“You better calm down coach!”
Dunstall described Brisbane’s fightback as “extraordinary” off the back of their final quarter “domination”.
“This is huge. Look at the look on Chris Fagan’s face – you’ve got to love it,” he said.
“Look at the emotion spilling over.
“I just can’t believe it – I’m loving the emotion from the Lions players.
“No margin is safe.”
Dunstall said he had feared the Lions left their comeback “too late” but enjoyed the “rollercoaster”– led by Joe Daniher with his two-goal final term.
“They know they’ve been to the grand final last year. All of a sudden they get the chance … they are staring success right in the eyes. This is an opportunity as this is a premiership still up for grabs.”
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Fagan himself admits he was left stunned by what unfolded on Saturday night.
“You don’t very often have days like that in footy … that’ll be one I’ll never forget,” he said.
“When everything looked lost, we hung in there.
“I could sense we were a real chance to win the game (in the final term).
“We got accurate when we needed to.”
Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna and David King were left in awe of Brisbane’s ability to never give in.
“I’ve never seen a final like it,” King said.
“They were just out on the canvas. They’d been dominated, picked apart tactically.
“You just don’t win these games.”
“They never say die,” Montagna said.
“I can’t believe what we’ve just witnessed,” Sarah Jones added.
“They looked beaten multiple times.
“This will go down in history as one of the most amazing finals comebacks we’ve ever seen.”
Star Hugh McCluggage described the victory as “unbelievable” and the “best win” he’d ever been a part of, while teammate Jarrod Berry was left in shock by the “absolutely crazy” scenes.
“It’s absolutely crazy. I haven’t seen a room like this since probably the prelim we won against Carlton last year when everyone was up and about. I think this will be a very special win for us,” Berry said.
“We’ve got this quote if you’re walking on thin ice you might as well dance and I think that’s what we took in the second half. We gave it a crack, rolled the dice and momentum is a funny thing.”
The result ensured the Lions avoided a sixth straight year of finals disappointment.
Just last year, the Lions reached their first grand final since 2004 but fell short in the four-point heartbreaker to Collingwood.
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