Blog log from GF of 2024: Sydney vs Brisbane

Bright sunshine in Melbourne for today’s Tweed River stoush, with a swirly wind. The MCG doesn’t normally include wind in the mix, too much of a cauldron.
Cameron leaps in front of Cunningham and just holds onto a touch pass by McCluggage from the HFF to the hotspot, Neale plays on to goal but brought back… Charlie misses right. (Q1 1:59)
After a contested link mark by Dunkley, Hipwood passes from member wing to the lead of Daniher 30m out on the flank who shoots across the face to the right. (Q1 5:29)
The flags above the goals at the Punt Road end where the Lions are kicking are pointing to the right pocket but the kicks aren’t moving inside the stadium. (Q1 6:14)
So far the Lions have had all the play in Q1 with Sydney still in the blocks, but Brisbane can’t convert. This follows several long-running trends in 2024. (Q1 8:10)
Lester plays on after intercepting on outer wing but dithers and is caught HTB by Gulden, pass to the pocket where Amartey draws a contact free, advantage, first goal Hayward! (Q1 10:25)
Centre clearance Sydney, McLean roves at half forward and feeds Papley zipping past who snaps running towards the boundary from 40m… screws in for a fine finish! (Q1 11:35)
Sydney are getting a man free in defence to help spoil, Hipwood and Morris not doing enough to deserve respect of their opponents so far. Bad signs for Brisbane. (Q1 14:43)
The Lions rebound through the corridor with risk and reward, Lester passes to Ah Chee 40m out who has Lohmann 20m out in front for the first major for the Lions. (Q1 15:27)
Brisbane out of the centre this time, Lohmann snaps his second goal inside a minute from much the same spot, Lions hit the lead all of a sudden! (Q1 17:05)
This game needed the last minute, things were looking way too Sydney in the first ten minutes. (Q1 17:42)
Parker roves a long speculator to the top of the square but snaps wide and OOTF under a tackle. (Q1 20:27)
Hipwood and Morris started quietly but they have been prominent in link play in recent minutes. (Q1 21:24)
Hipwood and Morris are involved in a rebound around outer wing that ends in a contested grab by Daniher over Melican 20m out but his screwing set shot is narrow to the right. (Q1 21:57)
Blakey looks to have cut off a fast break from a stoppage in defence up the guts by Brisbane but no whistle, Ah Chee feeds McCluggage who goals from 40m as Blakey is in Koosbane! (Q1 24:10)
McInerney passes to Rowbottom 45m out on a slight angle on the end of a chain of short passes around members side. Paddlebum converts with a nice left-to-right fade. (Q1 26:11)
Berry passes to Cameron in the pocket 30m out after Rayner takes a contested grab to keep a rebound going around members wing. Charlie curls in his first goal. (Q1 28:56)
Melican baulks clear in midfield and sends a speculator to the hotspot, Andrews spoils but Fox roves and gives outside to Warner for a lash off a step from 45m… wide left. (Q2 1:47)
Starcevich gathers in the back pocket and starts a switch around members side, Bailey has Lohmann running free to shoot from 35m on the flank for his third goal! (Q2 6:14)
Neale may be carrying several injuries but his work rate to cover in defence has been elite in Q2, he was pivotal in that scoring chain with run from D50. (Q2 6:55)
Fox marks a short Heeney pass 55m out in the centre square, Zorko is pinged for encroachment for a charity goal against the flow! That was more red hot than the September sun! (Q2 7:59)
Hipwood’s snap from half forward wobbles to the pocket but takes a wicked bounce over McCartin’s head to Daniher in the square, tackle, everyone falls over, what happened? (Q2 9:59)
Review ruling is that the ball came off the body of a Swans defender last as two of them wrestled with Daniher on the goal line, just a behind. (Q2 10:25)
Ashcroft roves a ball up on centre wing and goes long for Morris to leap over Rampe to mark 35m out on a slight angle, his set shot starts straight but slices to the right. (Q2 11:44)
Fort marks 45m out on the flank, McLean looked to have encroached but no penalty, Fort shoots wide. (Q2 12:46)
Morris intercepts a rebound kick on members wing and goes quickly to the boundary 40m out for that man Lohmann. Cobra Kai shoots high but across the face to the left for a point. (Q2 13:58)
After Grundy coughs up a handball to a nest of Lions, Cameron pokes a pass from traffic on the HFF to Daniher 40m out on a slight angle. Set shot accuracy killing Lions… goal! (Q2 15:44)
Daniher wobbles a clearance from ruck at the next bounce, Ah Chee leaps in front of Blakey 45m out in front to clunk the mark. Kick starts right… then fades left and in! (Q2 17:30)
Bailey gives to Rayner in a pack in the pocket 20m out, Rayner bullocks his way through two challenges but snaps across the face and OOTF. (Q2 20:00)
Blakey’s dump kick from defensive goalsquare to the HBF is straight to Berry 45m out. Berry threads the set shot, Lions kicking straight at the right time! (Q2 21:44)
Centre clearance Lions, Hipwood jinks around Rampe on the boundary 30m out and tries his luck off a step with a drop punt… nails it! Brisbane building a winning lead! (Q2 23:45)
Morris marks outside CHF after the next bounce as Brisbane are bossing clearances, he sits a long ball up for Ah Chee who marks over Rampe 10m out and goals again! (Q2 24:55)
Heeney releases Fox off half back after the next bounce, pass clunked by McLean on the lead 30m out in the corridor in front of Andrews… but he misses to the right. (Q2 27:00)
Morris beats McCartin to mark a Neale kick in front of a pack 30m out on a slight angle. With that goal, Brisbane lead by Oscar McInerney’s jumper number nearing HT. (Q2 28:55)
Cameron is outnumbered for a quick clearance to the top of the square but draws a holding free on Cunningham and shoots from 15m… but misses! (Q3 4:44)
Ashcroft passes from outer wing to Rayner 40m out on a slight angle, he shoots across the face to the left. (Q3 5:44)
McInerney taps a loose ball in the forward pocket straight to Starcevich who starts a rebound around members wing, Daniher runs free passes from the HFF to Ah Chee 20m out, goal! (Q3 8:28)
Longmire has switched lots of magnets around to start Q3 but the job looks way too big from here. (Q3 8:43)
McCluggage to Neale from the centre, long to Daniher who marks strongly over McInerney 30m out on a slight angle but hooks it to the right. (Q3 9:56)
Neale turns the ball over by foot from the back pocket, Blakey passes to Heeney to mark over Zorko 30m out on a slight angle. Heeney had a shocker of a first half… goals. (Q3 12:38)
Ashcroft tumbles through a snap off the right from a throw-in from the left pocket, Brisbane are home! (Q3 15:08)
Rayner has the sit for a specky from a long ball by Daniher to the pocket, it’s champagne footy now and he curls it in from 20m. (Q3 21:10)
Downhill footy from Brisbane from the centre, Lohmann gives to Daniher who snaps while falling, dribbles to the right. (Q3 22:43)
Papley spins in midfield in three or four minds and coughs the ball up with a brain explosion, Lions everywhere on the counter, Dunkley has Morris 30m out in front for the goal. (Q3 25:58)
Amartey marks Gulden’s pass 40m out on the flank after a rare centre clearance to Sydney, his first kick is OOTF across the face to the left. Bronx cheers for that play. (Q3 27:44)
Daniher intercepts at half back and the Lions slingshot via Rayner to send Ah Chee into the open goal. Party time in September sunshine. (Q3 28:44)
Blakey marks on the lead in front of his new opponent Lester 45m out on a slight angle but misses to kick off Q4 junk time. (Q4 1:47)
Ah Chee misses after a pack mark in the pocket 20m out. (Q4 6:46)
Parker looks thoroughly disgusted with life after snapping some garbage from half forward. (Q4 11:55)
Warner does the same after the next bounce from CHF and is also largely disconsolate. (Q4 12:55)
Lohmann flies over Rampe to clunk a long Fletcher ball from outer wing to 20m in front for his fourth goal, albeit with a sack of a kick that just avoided the right post. (Q4 17:10)
Papley roves a Starcevich drop but blazes wide left from 45m on a slight angle. (Q4 18:31)
Parker snaps another junk time special from 45m to general disinterest. (Q4 22:28)
Parker snaps his third garbage time goal for the quarter. About as smelly as three goals in a quarter can get. (Q4 25:46)
Daniher deserves another goal and is fed one by Bailey from 20m in the pocket, the Lions all mob him! (Q4 27:01)