Brisbane Lions beat Fremantle by seven points for third straight premiership

The Brisbane Lions won a third successive Australian Football League premiership on 26 September 2026, beating the Fremantle Dockers 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before a crowd of 100,023. Brisbane kicked four goals in the final four minutes to overhaul a 17-point deficit and deny Fremantle a first AFL premiership.smh.com.au

The victory gives Brisbane a second three-peat, emulating their 2001-03 dynasty, and a sixth top-flight premiership overall. It matters because the Lions looked beaten deep into the final quarter, trailing by 17 points, before a late surge turned the match. Fremantle, the ladder leaders contesting their first Grand Final since 2013, were left to rue a goal-square miss that opened the door.channelnewsasia.com

A 17-point deficit overturned late

Brisbane's comeback mechanism was direct: Cameron converted his third goal to get the ball rolling, midfielder Zac Bailey followed quickly with another in the dying minutes, and key forward Logan Morris then edged his side ahead in the final 60 seconds. Morris had taken a strong contested mark and kicked truly to give Brisbane the lead, then iced the game with a snap from 40 metres.

Fremantle had led through the third quarter, but a leg injury to captain Alex Pearce left a void in their back-line that Brisbane capitalised on with three straight goals, narrowing the Dockers' lead to 10 points at the final break. Late majors to forwards Michael Frederick and Patrick Voss, who kicked three goals, again put Fremantle in the box seat before the Lions' final-quarter run.

Josh Treacy's miss from the goal square left the door ajar for Brisbane's resurgence. Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir was rated 8 out of 10 by former Geelong player Mathew Stokes, who noted that a lack of on-field leaders once Pearce went down hurt the Dockers. Brisbane coach Chris Fagan received a perfect 10 from AFLW premiership player Libby Birch.

Morris and Cameron combined for six

Key forwards Logan Morris and Charlie Cameron combined for six goals in the victory. On-baller Will Ashcroft led all comers with 31 disposals and three goal assists, and said the side had been in trouble at one point before momentum swung. Shai Bolton won the Norm Smith Medal as the best player on the ground despite his Fremantle side losing by seven points.

Fagan said his players had heart and would fight to the end, pointing to three premierships in a row as the reward. Pearce, the Fremantle captain, said the group would fight and return. Ashcroft described the swings of momentum in big games as crazy, having earlier admitted he thought the Lions were in a bit of trouble.

Ashcroft led all comers with 31

The player ratings, compiled by Birch for the Lions and Stokes for the Dockers, judged Fagan's reshuffling of a defence stretched by Fremantle's varied forward line as the change that inspired the final-quarter comeback. Longmuir's rating reflected a team that wanted to play for him, but one that lacked on-field leaders after Pearce's injury.smh.com.au

Fagan was not certain to continue in the role, saying he had to clear his head, while Neale confirmed his exit from the Lions, saying he would miss them. Longmuir said Wharfie Time, a Fremantle fan celebration, was not a factor in the loss. The Norm Smith Medal voting was broken down separately.

Brisbane's sixth premiership places the club alongside its own 2001-03 run as the only two three-peats in its history. Fremantle remain without an AFL premiership, having now lost a Grand Final they led with minutes to play. The Dockers had not appeared in a Grand Final since 2013 before this match.

The match was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in East Melbourne, with Kylie Minogue performing before the match and G Flip joining her on stage. The result was settled in the final 60 seconds by Morris, whose contested mark and subsequent snap from 40 metres sealed a seven-point win for Brisbane.