Australian Rules-Brisbane hold off Fremantle in thriller to win third straight AFL Grand Final

The Brisbane Lions clawed their way to ​a third successive Australian Football ​League premiership on Saturday, ‌overcoming the ​Fremantle Dockers by seven points in a Grand Final thriller before a crowd of 100,023 at the ‌Melbourne Cricket Ground. Forwards Logan Morris and Charlie Cameron combined for six goals to help the Lions to a 14.12 (96) - 12.17 (89) win and complete the club's second three-peat, ‌emulating their 2001-03 dynasty.

The game came down to the wire, with Brisbane nailing ‌four goals in the final four minutes to overhaul Fremantle's 17-point advantage. Morris ensured the Lions edged ahead in the final 60 seconds, kicking truly after taking a strong contested ⁠mark to ​give Brisbane the ⁠lead and subsequently icing the game with a snap from 40 metres. In the first half, ladder-toppers ⁠Fremantle - contesting their first Grand Final since 2013 - were not overawed by the occasion ​and forced the back-to-back defending champions into over-possession and risky corridor play, ⁠although nothing separated the teams on the scoreboard with 43 apiece.

Command shifted to the Dockers during ⁠the ​third quarter, but a leg injury to captain Alex Pearce left a void in their back-line, which the Lions capitalised on with three straight ⁠majors. Working their way back from 10 points down at the final break, Brisbane ⁠showed their experience ⁠as they weathered the storm to earn their sixth title in the top-flight of Australian Rules football, denying Fremantle their ‌first AFL ‌premiership.