Coach loses his mind at ‘incredible finish’

Brisbane forward Linc McCarthy produced one of the most important points in club history with his last-minute snap in the 38-point win over West Coast at the Gabba sending the Lions into the top four for the AFL finals.

Brisbane needed to reach 119 points to West Coast’s 87 to leap over the Western Bulldogs and claim the double chance for the finals and McCarthy delivered with a towering snap in the final 30 seconds after a nerve-jangling final term.

Watch every 2021 Toyota AFL Finals Series match before Grand Final Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >

Charlie Cameron kicked a goal after the siren to seal the deal but McCarthy’s point was the score that mattered in one of the most tense and pulsating home-and-away matches played at the Gabba in recent memory with so much on the line. The result sent coach Chris Fagan into a frenzy from the boundary line.

THE LIONS ARE IN THE TOP FOUR!#AFLLionsEaglespic.twitter.com/qnFMmypqCu

Brisbane eventually finished just 0.5 points ahead of the Bulldogs on percentage after 23 rounds of football to thrust themselves right into flag contention after a rollercoaster final term when each score had all involved reaching for the ‘live ladder’ with the Lions slipping in and out of the top four.

The Eagles will miss the top eight but it was no fault of ruckman Nic Naitanui who had 23 disposals, 21 contested possessions, 10 score involvements, 10 clearances and 53 hitouts.

The Lions had heroes all over the ground with captain Dayne Zorko, Lachie Neale, Daniel Rich, Joe Daniher and Keidean Coleman playing pivotal roles.

The Lions led by as many as 30 in the first term but the Eagles flew back into the contest in the second quarter and got within four points of Brisbane.

After Port Adelaide defeated the Western Bulldogs on Friday night, Brisbane were 0.1 behind the Dogs on percentage and needed to enjoy a big win over the Eagles to jump from fifth to fourth on the ladder.

When something great happens in life I want Chris Fagan there celebrating and bringing the energy. What spirit. Love it. #AFLLionsEagles

On a really shit day with COVID numbers and everything that was f***ing epic. Just a brilliant distraction from everything. The McCarthy snap. The Cameron goal. Fagan going nuts. Chucking his headset. Bevo probably putting a foot through the TV. Just wow

This is an incredible finish.#AFLLionsEagles#AFL

FAGAN!!!! Love it. What a reaction!!! ?

That was stressful and I don’t even barrack for the Lions. What a chase! #AFLLionsEagles

West Coast needed to win to stay in the hunt for the top eight and had it all to play for as well which set the stage for a mini-final.

After being dominated in the back-half of the first term, West Coast drastically swung the momentum back in its favour in the second quarter, kicking five goals to three with Naitanui sparking the Eagles into attack as they cut Brisbane’s buffer to 11 points at the main break.

After the Eagles kicked the first two goals of the game, Brisbane went on a seven-goal tear with the quick hands of Nadia Cockatoo producing three goal assists for the Lions who led by 23 points at the first change with Rich at the fore for the home side.

The third quarter was a tight and tense affair with Daniher’s goal on the siren proving to be the difference between the sides as Brisbane held a 17-point cushion at the last change.

Jarrod Berry was one of five multiple goalscorers for the Lions. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Historical pain

That umpiring failure to play a free kick against Geelong defender Mark Blicavs in the dying seconds of the Round 2 at Kardinia Park was still being felt on Saturday at the Gabba. If the free kick was rightly paid and Zac Bailey kicked the winning goal from close range, the Lions faithful would not have had their calculators out trying to work out the margin required to jump the Bulldogs on the ladder on percentage. They’d already be cemented inside the top four. But instead, the ‘live ladder’ was working overtime. Losses to St Kilda (Round 17) and Hawthorn (Round 20) along with the sluggish start to the 2021 campaign did not help Brisbane either.

Eagles’ free fall

What now for West Coast? The Eagles have had a dramatic and diabolic drop in form in the back-half of the year to miss the top eight so the hard questions will be asked in Perth. Whatever word you want to use – rebuild, regenerate, re-tool, recycle, renovate – it is time for the Eagles to rejuvenate the list. The core of the side that claimed the 2018 premiership isn’t getting any younger and some hard calls on club greats may need to be made. A shocking fadeout like 2021 will not be tolerated again. The way the Eagles took up the fight to Brisbane after quarter-time will have Eagles faithful asking, “where’s that been?”.

Elliot Yeo, who missed nine months of footy from last August, was one of the Eagles’ most prolific ballwinners on Saturday. (Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Silver lining

Lions vice-captain Harris Andrews was a late out with a tight hamstring and was replaced in the 22 by fellow key defender Marcus Adams who was ultra impressive. Adams was sidelined for five weeks with a foot injury. Adams had been in stellar before getting hurt and his absence had been felt by the Lions. While the loss of Andrews was a blow, the chance to get some valuable gametime into Adams ahead of the finals was the silver lining to the cloud. The Lions will also welcome back Mitch Robinson from a calf injury for the first week of finals.

Daniher’s rare feat

With a towering drop punt in the first term, Lions key forward Joe Daniher notched up the record of kicking a goal in every game this season. The last AFL player to do it was … Joe Daniher in 2017 when he was at Essendon and earned an All-Australian selection. After playing very little football in his last few years at Windy Hill, Daniher’s durability since moving to the Gabba has been a revelation along with his impact on Brisbane’s forward line. Fellow new Lions recruit Nakia Cockatoo showed some touches of class to set-up three goals in the first term.

Score:

LIONS: 7.2/10.4/13.6/19.11 (125)

EAGLES: 3.3/8.5/10.7/13.9 (87)

Goals:

LIONS: Daniher 4, Berry 3, Cameron 3, McStay 2, McCarthy 2, Zorko, Rich, Neale, Lyons, McCluggage

EAGLES: Ryan 3, Darling 3, Vardy 2, Cripps 2, Allen, Waterman, Jones

Greg Davis’ best:

LIONS: Zorko, Neale, Daniher, Rich, Adams, McStay, Coleman

EAGLES: Naitanui, Shuey, Yeo, Ryan, Sheed, Witherden,

Injuries:

LIONS

EAGLES: Oscar Allen (concussion)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Greg Davis’ votes:

3: Nic Naitanui

2: Dayne Zorko

1: Lachie Neale

Crowd: 21,845

Source: Read Full Article