THE LION dynasty has arrived. Take me home, two straight flags.

Brisbane has done it. Chris Fagan has etched his Lions into history as only the fourth club this century to win back-to-back premierships, with the Lions masterclass overcoming Geelong in an engrossing Grand Final on Saturday.

2025 TOYOTA AFL GRAND FINAL Full match coverage and stats
THE MOMENT Lachie's legendary goal breaks Geelong's spirit
TALKING POINTS Gun's wayward day, Danger contained
NORM SMITH MEDAL What inspired gun Lion to second Norm Smith
LIONS PLAYER RATINGS Every player rated
CATS PLAYER RATINGS Every player rated
CHRIS FAGAN Fagan's bold sub call proves a masterstroke
'COULDN'T BE MORE GRATEFUL' How dynamic Lion got through his toughest year
'A BIT OF A MASTERSTROKE' The call that made Lions star 'bloody nervous'
'IT'S HARD EITHER WAY' Duo savour moment before tough contract calls
'BROTHERHOOD IS A BIG THING' Wounded Lion embraced after GF heartbreak
'BIG GOLDFISH MINDSET How Ted Lasso inspired gun's performance
'SOMETHING I'LL CHERISH FOREVER' Big O gets his flag redemption
'NO EXCUSES' Cats take stock after humbling loss

And this one might be better than the first.

After season-ending injuries, form setbacks and a qualifying final loss to the Cats that looked likely to spell the end of their quest for consecutive premierships, Brisbane secured its fifth flag of the AFL era - and 13th including Fitzroy's history - in dominant fashion after half-time.

The Lions kicked 13 to six goals after the main break to lock in the 18.14 (122) to 11.9 (75) triumph, with their gamble on picking Lachie Neale after his calf injury paying dividends as the co-captain gathered 17 disposals after being subbed into the contest in the third quarter.

Charlie Cameron turned the game Brisbane's way in that third term, with the bays of Brisbane fans singing John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads on repeat after each of his four goals just one of a highlight reel that got better and better as the game went on.

But Brisbane's victory was as even as it was sweet.

Particularly for Will Ashcroft, who incredibly became a two-time Norm Smith Medallist at the age of 21 after backing up his outstanding 2024 Grand Final with another 32 disposals, 10 clearances and a goal.

Fellow Lions superstar Hugh McCluggage, who was blanketed in the qualifying final three weeks ago, returned to the MCG with a point to prove, booting four goals from 26 disposals in a brilliant display.

Dynamo Zac Bailey could have sewn up the Norm Smith was he more accurate in front of goal (23 disposals, 3.6), captain Harris Andrews was impenetrable as was Darcy Gardiner, and Dayne Zorko and Jaspa Fletcher were both excellent.

Geelong will rue a second half fadeout and a game where its best players couldn't impact. Far from their dominant showing three weeks earlier against the Lions, the Cats were cornered by Brisbane's pressure and eventually overwhelmed.

The final margin belied the first half of this flag decider.

It took 15 minutes of back and forth in the first quarter before Cats wingman Ollie Dempsey streamed forward – as per – and booted the opening goal of the game from the goal square.

The Lions' inaccuracy was an issue, but Kai Lohmann, with head bandaged after an early errant knee from teammate Logan Morris, converted a clever pass from McCluggage, who broke free from Oisin Mullin's tight tag for a moment.

The surprise early on in this contest was the few changes either coach had made in key match-ups since their qualifying final battle. Mullin was back at McCluggage's side and Mark O'Connor was shutting out Cam Rayner again, while Gardiner was given the duties on Jeremy Cameron.

Mullin had the early edge over McCluggage when he kicked a running goal late in the quarter to give the Cats a three-point lead at the first change.

McCluggage got one back as part of a three-goal run for the Lions to kick off the second term, which included a dazzling shot from the boundary line for Cameron, complete with a Snoop Dogg-inspired celebration.

And yet the Cats struck back – Shannon Neale won a free kick and bombed long, while Brad Close chipped in from a set shot. The Ashcroft brothers were doing their bit, with Will gathering 17 disposals to half-time and Levi kicking a crucial goal after stepping Jhye Clark on the mark.

And yet still, nothing separated the two challengers. If it felt close in every way, it's because it was.

Scores were level at half-time for the first time in a Grand Final since 1909. At the same time, both sides had recorded 165 disposals to half-time, both teams had 103 kicks and both had 62 handballs. Inside-50s were 27 to the Cats and 26 to the Lions. Clearances were 19 to Geelong and 20 to the Lions.

If it wasn't for the AFL's decision to abolish the replay for a drawn Grand Final back in 2016, Andrew Dillon might have spent his half-time break considering who could be next week's pre-game entertainment.

The only counter was the 17-4 free kick line in Geelong's favour, with the Lions reckless at times with their tackles but the lopsided count was a quirk.

Two significant things happened at half-time. Brisbane made its tactical sub, pulling Sam Marshall out of the game and bringing in two-time Brownlow medallist Neale, while in the opposite rooms Jeremy Cameron's arm, which had been crunched by skipper Patrick Dangerfield in a contest before half-time, came out with a thick armguard over the forearm.

To that point, neither Cameron nor Dangerfield had had any influence on the game, a stark contrast to last week's preliminary final. Cameron's biggest moment came midway through the third term, as he chased down Fletcher on a long run on the wing.

Cameron used his left arm to land a tackle on Fletcher, which resulted in a turnover and a goal for Max Holmes. Cameron, though, crashed to the ground and landed on his arm, and soon left the field in agony.

Where the passage of play could have lifted the Cats, it only jolted Brisbane. Bailey got more involved, Lohmann was energised at ground level and Brisbane's Cameron booted two in a row to fire up a front half that was proving too dangerous and agile for Geelong's backline.

Then Neale, with fresher legs, bombed a goal from outside 50 to land a massive blow on the Cats before the final change. We heard the mighty roar.

Brandon Starcevich left the field in the third quarter with a head knock, but Brisbane had found the momentum.

And after that, it was party time. Cameron booted his fourth, then Rayner slammed home a goal, Ashcroft got his turn and McCluggage snapped from the boundary line to seal the win and backed it up with another long-range finish.

But this Brisbane side isn't near finished. With eight players aged 22 or under, the Lions are just revving up.

GEELONG       2.3     5.6     6.8     11.9 (75)
BRISBANE      1.6     5.6     9.9     18.14 (122)

GOALS
Geelong: Dempsey 4, Blicavs, Bowes, Close, Holmes, Mannagh, Mullin, Neale
Brisbane: Cameron 4, McCluggage 4, Bailey 3, Lohmann 2, L.Ashcroft, W.Ashcroft, Morris, Neale, Rayner

BEST
Geelong: Dempsey, Holmes, Humphries, Atkins, Smith
Brisbane: McCluggage, W. Ashcroft, Andrews, Bailey, Cameron, Gardiner

INJURIES
Geelong: Cameron (arm)
Brisbane: Starcevich (head)

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Jack Martin replaced Rhys Stanley in the fourth quarter
Brisbane: Lachie Neale replaced Sam Marshall in the third quarter

Crowd: 100,022 at the MCG