Brisbane Lions beat Geelong Cats 18.14 (122) to 11.9 (75) at the MCG after Lachie Neale subbed on at half-time and Jeremy Cameron badly injures his arm

“I always talked about failing our way to the top, and that’s what we did. We got into some finals and for the first three years, I think we won one out of six finals and had a few lessons. Since that point in time, we have become a really good finals team,” Fagan said.

It’s been some ride for the Tasmanian product, who has led the Lions into three grand finals after turning 62.

Typically reserved, he stood back while his players celebrated upon hearing the final siren, looked at the crowd, and then embraced his family. He was later awarded the Jock McHale medal by former West Coast Eagles premiership coach Adam Simpson.

This result also capped a stunning finals series for the Lions, who finished third on the ladder and then lost the qualifying final to the Cats, meaning they had to play each week and deal with more travel. Yet again, though, they enjoyed the ultimate success.

“We did it the hard way again, to play four finals, I think that suits us,” Fagan said.

The manner in which the Lions overcame injury and other obstacles this season had Fagan believing it “boded well” for more success.

The decision to use co-captain Lachie Neale as the substitute and not activate him until the start of the third term proved a masterstroke, the dual Brownlow medallist showing no signs of the calf injury that had ruled him out of the past two finals.

Neale, having had to prove his fitness all week, had 17 disposals, seven clearances and a goal in a breathtaking second half.

“I was lying in bed last night thinking I was going to either look like a total idiot or a total genius after today’s game. If we had lost, and he had only played a half, we would probably be bemoaning the fact we went about it in that way,” Fagan said.

“But the bottom line was this: Lachie was fit to play, but how much game time could he play?

“Basically, he had played one game in eight weeks, one game in 56 days. Coming into a grand final, I was a little bit worried about his ability to see the whole game out if he actually started.”

Neale said he had never been more nervous heading into a game.

“I felt like a supporter, riding all the waves – I was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in a game of football with the scores tied in a grand final… tight in a grand final and limited prep. Yeah, it’s a little bit easier when everyone is tired and you’re fresh. I felt like I covered the ground pretty well,” Neale said.

So, too, did Ashcroft, who had 32 disposals, including 10 clearances, nine inside 50s, and a goal, in a best-on-ground performance.

Fagan was also delighted for Oscar McInerney, the big ruckman savouring his maiden premiership.

He had played in the losing 2023 grand final against Collingwood, but hurt his shoulder in last year’s preliminary final and was ruled out of the decider against Sydney. Defender Darcy Gardiner also missed last year’s grand final, Fagan revealing the two men had been a motivating force.

He said Jarrod Berry’s selfless decision not to play because of a dislocated shoulder had also been an inspiration, all players touching his guernsey in the dressing room before heading out to battle.

The Lions will begin 2026 as premiership favourites, although they may lose the off-contract Brandon Starcevich to West Coast, and forward Callum Ah Chee, through the trade period.

Starcevich, 26, was concussed and subbed off in the third quarter, adding to his growing history of serious head knocks.

While Fagan was all smiles, Cats coach Chris Scott said he would wake at 3am for many weeks ahead, mulling over what went wrong.

Scott was gunning for his third flag in 15 seasons in charge, but his team fell apart late in the third term after the scores had been locked at half-time in a grand final for only the third time in VFL-AFL history.

“It’s, obviously, difficult for us right at the moment, but I think in the fullness of time, when you sit back and think about the quality of team that beat us in this grand final, it will ease the pain a little bit,” Scott said.

He said he was proud of his team, and there were “a lot of things known and unknown that were really challenging for us this year”.

“To be perfectly frank, there were times where it just seemed unlikely that we would be able to overcome those obstacles.”

Scott wouldn’t divulge what those specific obstacles had been, although losing rebounding defender Tom Stewart to concussion for this game had been one.

“You never lose a grand final, I don’t think, especially the way they dominated that patch late in the third quarter and, obviously, early in the fourth, and think one player would have made a difference, but I think Stewart would have a made a difference,” he said.

“But that is one in a number of, I am talking about a number of things, 10 or 12 things, some more impactful than others, but I only bring it up to highlight just how proud we are of the resilience of our group.”

The Cats struggled with Coleman medallist Jeremy Cameron (eight disposals, no goals) hurt, and skipper Patrick Dangerfield having little impact.

Scott later confirmed Cameron had fractured his right arm in a marking contest when bumped by Dangerfield in the second term.

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He emerged from half-time with the forearm bandaged, but aggravated it in a brave tackle of Jaspa Fletcher on the wing in the third term. He tackled Fletcher with his left arm, but landed on his right.

He immediately grimaced in pain and left the field. While he returned later, he could barely move his arm.

Asked about Cameron’s injury, Scott said Cameron had been “brave”, and said he expected the competition would be “rapt” the substitute rule has been abolished for next season.

Dangerfield was goalless and had only 10 touches (no clearances), and stood briefly in shock when the final siren blew, before shaking hands with his victorious opponents.

Scott said the Cats had not been able to play in the manner they had over the past couple of months which was a “bitter pill to swallow because we had shown our best footy was going to challenge anyone”.

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