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Pre Game
00:00
Brisbane has won 17 of its 21 finals at the Gabba with an average winning margin of 43 points. The four losses have come against teams that would go on to play in the Grand Final that season.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:09
Gold Coast is ranked No.1 in opening quarters this season. The SUNS have won 15 of the 17 games this season when they were leading at the first change, but have won only one of the seven games when behind at quarter time.
00:23
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
00:35
A score from the opening centre bounce clearance for the Lions. Brisbane has averaged 14.8 points per game from centre bounces this season (ranked second).
02:49
Gold Coast has taken the first five marks of the game, including a contested mark from Ben King, resulting in the first goal. Brisbane is ranked No.1 for differential in marks this season.
04:07
SCORE
GOAL - SUNS (Noah Anderson)
04:20
A fast start for the SUNS with their first two intercepts in the midfield both resulting in goals. Gold Coast has scored from 26 per cent of its midfield intercepts this season (ranked fourth).
06:59
Some patient ball movement from Brisbane following a defensive 50 intercept (before an aggressive Dayne Zorko kick) led to the first goal for the Lions. Brisbane averages 17.3 points from defensive 50 chains (ranked fourth).
09:43
Brisbane has won the first four centre bounce clearances to start the game. There is yet to be an around-the-ground stoppage.
10:26
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)
11:43
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
11:51
A second goal from a defensive 50 intercept chain for the Lions, who are using some aggressive ball movement. Brisbane has an early 15-8 lead in contested possessions, including 3-1 in its forward 50.
13:29
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
14:12
Brisbane has recorded more disposals in the corridor (21-9) and is clearly looking to come back into this zone when moving the ball from its defensive 50.
15:21
Gold Coast is also having success moving the ball from its defensive 50 with five inside 50 entries from six such chains. The last goal from Ben King came from a kick-in chain, and the SUNS have kicked only two goals across their last seven games from this source.
17:35
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
18:36
Brisbane has won 12 of the 14 games this season when it has won the contested possession count. Gold Coast has won 11 of the 13 games this season when it has won this measure. The Lions are ahead 21-14 early in this game.
19:51
Brisbane leads the tackle count 14-4 due to a tackle efficiency of 88 per cent compared to just 40 per cent for Gold Coast.
21:49
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Ty Gallop)
22:50
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
23:14
The Lions were outscored by 37 points in the time-on period of quarters last week, which is their second-worst differential this year outside of the Round 20 Q-Clash (-47 points).
24:24
Hugh McCluggage was kept to seven disposals in the 59 minutes he was matched up on Oisin Mullin last week and finished with a season-low 14 disposals (his fewest since Round 1, 2023). McCluggage has already had eight disposals tonight.
25:06
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)
25:57
The SUNS average 3.3 scores per game from defensive 50 chains, but have already generated four such scores tonight and are looking dangerous moving the ball from this zone.
26:57
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Cam Rayner)
28:59
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
29:49
Brisbane has won the clearances 10-4 in the opening quarter, with Hugh McCluggage winning three of these. Both teams are ranked in the top-4 for clearance differential this season.
31:21
The Lions had the better of contested possessions (37-28), inside 50 entries (17-12), tackles (22-7), effective clearances (7-1) and forward 50 disposals (20-8) in the opening quarter, but hold just a one-point lead at the first break.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:10
Harris Andrews was influential in the opening quarter with four spoils, two intercepts, and his seven disposals at 100 per cent efficiency gained 228 metres (more than his full game average).
01:54
Josh Dunkley has already applied seven tackles for the Lions (the SUNS have only applied eight) in another typically strong defensive performance.
02:25
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Logan Morris)
02:59
Four of the last five goals now to Brisbane, and three of these have come from defensive half chains. Logan Morris has been involved in four scores and already had five disposals in the forward 50.
04:42
SCORE
GOAL - SUNS (Matt Rowell)
04:54
The accurate set shot from Matt Rowell was the first goal of the game for either team to come from a stoppage. Rowell had a season-low five contested possessions against Brisbane in Round 8 and had a season-high 23 contested possessions against the Lions in Round 20.
08:38
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Will Ashcroft)
08:54
Brisbane has scored 19.3 points per game from forward 50 chains since Round 16 (ranked No.1). The Lions are ahead 13-6 in this area tonight following the stoppage goal from Will Ashcroft.
11:04
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Cam Rayner)
11:20
The long-range goal from the explosive Cam Rayner was the fourth of the game for Brisbane to follow a defensive half intercept. The Lions average 25.8 points per game from this source.
14:14
SCORE
GOAL - SUNS (Sam Flanders)
14:40
In the opening quarter, Gold Coast recorded a forward half pressure rating of 147 with three tackles. In the second quarter, the SUNS have lifted this rating to 204 with seven tackles in this zone, and this pressure led to the goal from Sam Flanders.
18:08
Gold Coast scored 84 points from clearances against Brisbane in Round 20, which is its most in any match on record. The SUNS have generated just one score from a stoppage so far tonight.
19:52
Brisbane has now had 13 stoppages in its forward 50 (Gold Coast has had only four in this zone), forcing the SUNS to defend for extended periods. The Lions average 19 points per game from forward half stoppages (ranked third).
20:41
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Oscar McInerney)
21:28
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Will Ashcroft)
21:40
A pair of second-quarter goals from Will Ashcroft, who now leads all players for score involvements (5). Ashcroft is currently the No.1 rated player on the ground, winning a game-high 11 contested possessions (he averages 10.1 per game).
24:22
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Kai Lohmann)
24:45
The ball movement of the Lions continues to be a feature with another goal from a defensive half intercept. Brisbane now leads 30-10 in points scored from such chains.
26:15
Brisbane is winning contested ball at both stoppages (clearances 17-12) and post-clearance (40-32). The Lions have won ground balls 24-15 this quarter.
29:59
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (John Noble)
30:18
Brisbane has kicked six of its eight goals 15-30 metres from goal, indicating that it has been able to move the ball deep into its forward line and generate quality shots at goal.
31:26
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Zac Bailey)
31:41
The Lions have won the ground balls in their forward 50 tonight (13-10), with the last of these featuring in the goal from Zac Bailey. In its defensive 50, Brisbane has also won ground balls 12-5.
34:00
Brisbane has played on from 27 per cent of its marks this season, but has increased this to 41 per cent tonight, looking to put speed on its ball movement, which has contributed to its goals from the back half.
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:21
Brisbane has won all 18 games against Gold Coast when it has led at halftime. The Lions have won only three of the 11 games when they have trailed the SUNS at the main break.
00:54
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Jy Farrar)
01:59
The goal from Kai Lohmann came from a kick-in chain. Brisbane has now scored an equal season-high 13 points from these chains tonight, among its 31 points from defensive 50 chains (season-high for the Lions is 32).
04:02
After Gold Coast kicked the opening two goals in the first five minutes of the game, Brisbane has kicked 10 of the last 13 goals, including the last four.
06:27
Josh Dunkley has now recorded 22 pressure acts, including 12 tackles. The next most pressure acts by a Lion is 10 (Kai Lohmann).
06:33
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Will Ashcroft)
08:57
Since the start of 2024, Brisbane has lost five of the nine games when Hugh McCluggage has had 20 disposals or fewer. The Lions have lost only one of the 11 games when he has had at least 30 disposals. McCluggage has had a game-high 24 disposals already tonight.
10:00
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
10:12
Gold Coast has now scored 3.5 (23) from its set shots at goal, compared to 4.1 (25) for Brisbane from its such shots.
10:57
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Zac Bailey)
11:32
The Lions have broken seven tackles tonight, and five times it has been Cam Rayner. Brisbane has now scored a season-high 38 points from defensive 50 chains following the last goal from Zac Bailey.
14:11
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
14:42
Brisbane has recorded the third-highest kick-to-handball ratio this season (1.65), while Gold Coast has posted the lowest such ratio (1.23). These numbers are much closer tonight (1.40-1.35), with the Lions having several handball chains in their ball movement.
16:31
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Cam Rayner)
19:02
Brisbane has taken 29 per cent of their defensive 50 intercepts into the forward 50 this season (ranked No.1). Tonight, the Lions have converted 41 per cent of such chains into forward 50 entries (and scored four goals).
20:07
Gold Coast has won contested possessions 26-16 in the third quarter, but Brisbane has posted higher kicking efficiency and handball efficiency, while the SUNS have missed all three of their set shots at goal.
21:10
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
22:14
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Ty Gallop)
22:32
Ty Gallop has taken a team-high three marks in the forward 50 tonight and has now kicked his first AFL goal. Both teams have generated ten scores from turnovers. The Lions have scored 9.1 (55) from this source compared to 3.7 (25) for the SUNS.
24:15
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
25:54
When teams have taken at least 15 more marks than Gold Coast this season, they have won six out of seven times. Brisbane is ahead 81-61 in marks tonight.
28:48
Brisbane again had the better of the third term, kicking the only three goals. Gold Coast posted a forward half kicking efficiency of only 52 per cent (Brisbane was 67 per cent), which prevented it from making the most of an edge in clearances (9-7) and contested possessions (32-26).
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:08
Cam Rayner has now broken eight tackles tonight for the Lions. This equals the most recorded in a final (with Dustin Martin).
01:24
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
02:20
The most tackles recorded in any game by a Lion is 17 (Tom Rockliff in 2015). Josh Dunkley has applied 16 tackles tonight, which equals the most in a final by any player.
03:58
The SUNS have lost the clearance count in only four games this season. This includes last week against Fremantle (-8) and in Round 8 against Brisbane (-19). The Lions have won the clearances 31-23 tonight.
05:24
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Zac Bailey)
07:25
Charlie Cameron has had eight score involvements tonight for the Lions (including a pair of assists). Only once this season has Cameron had more score involvements (nine against the Saints in Round 7).
08:15
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Oscar McInerney)
09:43
Harris Andrews has again been a menace in disrupting opposition ball movement. Andrews has taken seven intercept marks (among ten intercept possessions) and also recorded eight spoils.
12:59
Gold Coast has not kicked a goal since the 14-minute mark of the second quarter. Nine of the last 10 scores in the game have been behinds.
14:18
Gold Coast scored 45 points in the second term last week against Fremantle, which is its third-most in that quarter over the last five years. It has taken the SUNS 14 minutes into the final quarter to score 45 points tonight.
15:59
Brisbane has applied more tackles (58-47), posted a better tackle efficiency (69 per cent to 60 per cent) and also has the higher pressure rating 178-170, in a strong defensive performance.
16:08
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
17:15
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Zac Bailey)
17:32
The Lions lead 27-7 in points scored from forward 50 chains following the last goal from Zac Bailey. The AFL average is 15 points per game from such chains.
19:46
The SUNS have won only four of the 10 games this season when they lost the contested possession count, but they have won 12 of the other 14 games. Brisbane is ahead 121-112 in contested possessions tonight.
22:45
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Kai Lohmann)
23:01
The AFL average for points scored from defensive 50 chains is 14.6 per game. Brisbane leads 41-10 in points scored from this zone tonight.
24:35
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Kai Lohmann)
24:43
Kai Lohmann has been the main forward 50 target tonight for Brisbane (nine times) and has team-highs for forward 50 disposals (8). Lohmann has now kicked a team-high 14 goals across the last six finals for Brisbane.
27:25
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Lachie Weller)
28:39
Hugh McCluggage has won a game-high ten clearances tonight (only once has he had more in a game). Will Ashcroft has won a game and equal career-high 17 contested possessions, with these two midfielders stepping up in the absence of Lachie Neale.
29:32
SCORE
BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
30:31
A comprehensive win by Brisbane, who dominated at stoppages (clearances 43-26) and displayed the better ball movement (41-11 points scored from the defensive 50). Josh Dunkley had a finals record of 18 tackles, and Will Ashcroft finished as the No. 1 rated player.