TLDR
Brisbane Lions erased a 17-point deficit in the final five minutes to beat Fremantle 96-89 at the MCG, claiming a third straight AFL premiership. Logan Morris kicked twice in the dying seconds to seal the win, matching the Lions' 2001-03 dynasty.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Brisbane kicked four unanswered goals in under five minutes to overturn a 17-point deficit and beat Fremantle 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.[1] A crowd of 100,023 watched the Lions claim their sixth AFL premiership.[1]
Fremantle held a 17-point lead with under five minutes remaining in the final quarter after Patrick Voss's third goal.[1] The MCG fell near-silent as Brisbane's Charlie Cameron and Zac Bailey each slotted goals, then Logan Morris struck twice in the final minute to seal it.[1]
The victory gave Brisbane a third straight premiership, equalling the club's own 2001-03 three-peat and making them only the second team in the professional era to achieve that feat.[1]
Coach Chris Fagan said he would consider his future at the club after the match. Fagan said he has chatted to the club's CEO and president over the past two or three years about when the right time for him to finish up might be.[2]
Fremantle's Shai Bolton won the Norm Smith Medal, becoming the first player from a losing side to take the award since 2005.[1] It was Fremantle's first grand final appearance since 2013, and the Dockers fell seven points short despite their strongest finals campaign in over a decade.
Fremantle captain Alex Pearce said the support from travelling fans had stood out all week. Pearce said that many Freo fans had turned up and that the team was not surprised, as they had been supported all year.[3]
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said before the match that the Dockers had prepared for Brisbane at their best and said that the outcome had been reached a little later than expected.[2] The 2026 AFL season concludes with Brisbane's flag presentation ceremony at the MCG on September 26.
SOURCES & CITATIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What was the final score of the 2026 AFL grand final?
Who won the Norm Smith Medal in 2026?
How many consecutive premierships have Brisbane now won?
Caleb Reed covers breaking news and sport. He works to the rhythm of a story as it unfolds, and he is happiest when the facts arrive faster than anyone can spin them.
