WHAT did we just witness?! 

The 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final was full of twists and turns, especially within the final three minutes. 

GRAND FINAL Full match coverage and stats

These are the biggest talking points from one of the greatest Grand Finals in recent history.

Cruel injury rules out Fremantle captain

Competing for the ball on the outer wing, Fremantle captain Alex Pearce went down in open space without contact and remained on the ground for an extended period before being assisted from the field by trainers. Unable to put weight on his right leg, Pearce was helped from the ground as concerned teammates and supporters looked on. Pearce sat on the bench with ice strapped to the back of his ankle, with the club soon confirming fears of a ruptured Achilles, ruling him out for the remainder of the match. It was a cruel blow for the skipper, who had entered the Grand Final under an injury cloud and was already playing with his left knee heavily strapped.

Wharfie time turns horror show for Fremantle

Patrick Voss' third goal at the 22-minute mark had taken the margin out to 17 points, and finally, the Wharfie Time button was hit, and a roar went up around the stadium. But it appeared to just spur on Brisbane and stun Fremantle into statues, the Lions piling on an astonishing four goals in the space of eight minutes to secure their third consecutive premiership. Logan Morris was the hero, booting both the winning goal and the sealer – one set shot and one on the run – while Zac Bailey and Charlie Cameron were the others to hit the scoreboard.

Kylie soars over MCG in spectacular pre-game show

Kylie Minogue lit up the MCG with a vibrant 20-minute pre-game performance that celebrated her journey from Melbourne schoolgirl to global pop icon, complete with nods to her hometown. Her set blended pop, disco and a touch of flamenco, featuring showgirls, a giant inflatable football and a show-stopping aerial display above the hallowed turf. Minogue opened with 'Love at First Sight', before rolling through fan favourites including 'In Your Eyes' and 'The Loco-Motion', then bringing the crowd to its feet with 'Can't Get You Out of My Head'.

Lachie Neale's hostile reception

After Lachie Neale's suspension was overturned on appeal, he became public enemy number one in Fremantle fans' eyes. Starting on the interchange bench, which isn't uncommon for the dual Brownlow medallist, given Brisbane's deep midfield, he was greeted with a chorus of boos when he finally ran onto the field. His missed set shot in the second term – which came after Mason Cox had sat him on the deck – was also met with jeers. Neale finished with 20 disposals, five marks and three clearances, and bobbed up in a few key disposal chains late in the piece.

Defensive and desperate Dunkley masterclass

With Fremantle pressing hard just before half-time, Josh Dunkley had a powerful minute of defence-first footy. Firstly, he smothered a Shai Bolton attempted bomb on the 50m line, then hustled another 30m closer to goal to smother Caleb Serong's snap. Just a minute later, he laid another crunching tackle on Isaiah Dudley as he attempted to launch the ball into attack, keeping the margin even at half-time.

Hayden Young's déjà vu third-term heroics

Fremantle had skipped out to a 15-point lead at the 12-minute mark of the third term, before the Lions piled on three quick goals in the space of six minutes. Once again, it was dynamic midfielder Hayden Young who lifted the Dockers on his back, and charged forward time and time again. Firstly he kicked a goal out of the middle to stop the rot, and then slotted a pearler from the boundary line a minute before the last break to give his side a 10-point lead. It wasn't quite identical circumstances to his efforts in the opposite pocket at three-quarter time in last week's preliminary final, but the result was just as telling.

Lester’s chasedown saves Lions as Treacy misses point-blank steadier

Josh Treacy came within metres of delivering a steadier midway through the final term, only for Brisbane veteran Ryan Lester to produce a desperate saving play. The Fremantle spearhead gathered the ball and surged toward an open goal, seemingly certain to extend the Dockers' advantage. But Lester's lunging chase applied just enough pressure to knock Treacy off balance at the final moment, forcing a miskick. Instead of stretching the margin beyond two goals, the ball dribbled through for a behind. The miss kept Brisbane alive and left Fremantle nursing a slender nine-point lead as tension continued to build at the MCG.

"Not 15" both takes away and gives for the Dockers

It was an odd match for the minimum kicking distance rule, which saw a number of kicks paid as "not 15", while some shorter kicks were let through to the keeper. The two most debatable decisions both involved Fremantle and shots on goal. Josh Treacy appeared to have clearly taken his mark past 15m, but was called to play on as he went back to take a set shot just before quarter-time. At the other end of the game, Darcy Gardiner looked to have taken a mark, but the ball was knocked out of his hands, and ended up in a Michael Frederick intercept mark. Frederick converted the shot, taking the margin to 11, but the distance the kick had travelled was questionable.

Lions’ Grand Final debutants rise to the occasion

The Lions' only two players chasing their first premiership medal both made an impact on the scoreboard in their Grand Final debuts. Sam Draper and Oscar Allen each kicked important goals as Brisbane fought to stay within striking distance of Fremantle. Allen struck first in the opening quarter, finishing off a slick handball chain with a close-range major, before Draper showcased his booming left foot in the second term with a superb goal from outside 50. Allen then added his second in the third quarter, converting after strong work further up the field to kick consecutive Brisbane goals. The major cut the margin to just four points and sparked an animated celebration from Harris Andrews as momentum began to swing the Lions' way.

First goal honour to Cameron 

Charlie Cameron delivered a familiar script when he opened the scoring in a frenetic start to the Grand Final. Fremantle appeared set to strike first when Patrick Voss produced a powerful 'don't argue' and surged toward an open goal, only for his snap to drift off the side of his boot for a behind. Moments later, the ball rebounded from end to end, and Cameron found space behind the Dockers' defence, snapping truly on his left foot from a tight angle. Turning to the Punt Road end, he celebrated with his trademark motorbike gesture as 'Country Roads' echoed around the MCG. It marked Brisbane's first opening goal across the club's four consecutive Grand Final appearances. Fremantle answered immediately, with Josh Treacy launching a booming set shot from beyond 50 that swung momentum back the Dockers' way and prompted AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' to boom around the ground.