Ecstatic Brisbane star Cameron Rayner says his side “got our moments right this year”, declaring they want to “correct our wrongs” from last year’s Grand Final when it returns to the last Saturday in September next week.
There were scenes of chaotic ecstasy on Saturday night in the aftermath of Brisbane’s bonkers preliminary final comeback win over Geelong, turning a 25-point deficit into a thrilling 10-point win.
It comes a week after the Lions, who were 2-5 and sitting 13th on the ladder after Round 7, miraculously came from 44 points down to beat the Giants in a semi-final.
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The Lions will now meet Sydney in next week’s Grand Final – 12 months after a heartbreaking four-point loss to Collingwood.
“It’s unbelievable,” Rayner told Channel 7 post-match. This group has been written off all year.
“To come back now and do this … you talk about moments, we got our moments right this year.
“Hopefully we correct our wrongs from last year.”
Asked if he thought the Lions would make a Grand Final when they were 2-5, Rayner told Fox Footy: “I’d be lying if I did. It was tough start to the year, but this team has got so much belief in itself.”
After giving up a 25-point advantage, the Cats managed to wrench back the lead via a stunning Ollie Henry snap with two minutes and 45 seconds remaining.
Brisbane immediately responded with Callum Ah Chee booting his third goal off one step from 40 metres after taking advantage from a free kick paid to Charlie Cameron.
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The Lions thought they had sunk the hammer blow a minute later when Rayner roosted home his second goal off his non-preferred left from outside 50, but Rhys Stanley won a free kick 15m out from goal with less than a minute left.
Stanley took most of his 30 seconds, but clearly battling an injury to his hip area, did not connect properly with his kick and hit the post to ensure the Lions would advance to the decider.
Lions players could hardly contain their emotions after a final that left Fox Footy commentators gobsmacked.
“We’ve just witnessed something special,” Melbourne champion Garry Lyon told Fox Footy.
“Finals bring heroes – and heroes have emerged everywhere.
“They were in a Grand Final last year, they had it cruelly ripped from them by the Collingwood football club, they were three minutes away from living a dream – and at stages throughout this year it looked like they were going to miss finals. They are back to where they need to be.
“This is a footy club full of resilience – and they’ve got a fairly liberal sprinkling of young, precocious talent who stuck their heads up today and said ‘don’t discount us in this year’s premiership race’.
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Triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown added: “It was sensational last week when they knocked over GWS, but tonight has gone to another level.
“They looked like they had three extra players out there.”
The win was particularly pleasing for coach Chris Fagan, who’s led his team to a second straight Grand Final appearance amid ample external criticism.
“No one, bar the Sydney faithful, would begrudge that man a premiership,” Lyon said.
Seven-time All-Australian Nathan Buckley added: “He (Fagan) has coached them back again to where they looked very unlikely to be six rounds into the season.”
Source Agencies
