Seven minutes and thirteen seconds
Brisbane needed 26 disposals to kick five goals. Seven minutes and 13 seconds into a semi-final, the contest was already decided. No side has reached five goals faster in an AFL final this century.
Kai Lohmann opened the scoring after 30 seconds. Charlie Cameron dribbled one through 20 seconds later. Zac Bailey, fresh from signing a long-term deal and turning down Adelaide’s interest, made it three. By the time Cam Rayner kicked the fifth, Brisbane had recorded 10 inside 50s for 5.2 and Adelaide had not reached its own forward arc once.
It finished 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91), a 53-point win in front of 36,026 at the Gabba.
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The response that never arrived
Adelaide did claw back. Josh Rachele found space in the second term, Darcy Fogarty kicked back-to-back goals and the margin shrank to 10 points. Brisbane then doubled its contested possession count for the quarter and the gap reopened for good.
The quarter scores tell the story: 6.6 to 2.3, 10.12 to 5.4, 16.15 to 7.9, 21.18 to 13.13. Cameron finished with five goals, Bailey with three. Will Ashcroft collected 30 disposals and six clearances across four quarters, while Josh Dunkley and Lachie Neale shared the job on Izak Rankine and kept the Crows’ most dangerous forward almost invisible. Sam Berry (31 disposals) and Jordan Dawson (30 disposals, eight tackles) fought without much help around them.
Taylor Walker played the 319th and last game of a career that produced 715 goals. He kicked two bombs in the final term and left the field in tears.
Hawthorn next, at the MCG
Brisbane had lost its qualifying final to an undermanned Sydney seven days earlier. Four of the players criticised hardest after that night, Lohmann, Cameron, Bailey and Hugh McCluggage, all hit the scoreboard during the opening burst here. The three-peat bid survives.
The reward is Hawthorn at the MCG in a preliminary final next weekend. One worry travels south with them: newly minted All-Australian forward Logan Morris finished the game on the bench with ice on his calf.
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