(Reuters) – A relentless Brisbane Lions cast aside the Sydney Swans by 60 points in the Australian Football League (AFL) grand final on Saturday to hold aloft the premiership cup in front of 100,013 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
With their honour restored after falling four points shy of the Collingwood Magpies in last year’s decider, Brisbane won 18.12 (120) to 9.6 (60) to claim their first title since 2003, and fourth since the AFL become a national competition in 1990.
Leading at every break and scoring with ease, Brisbane shell-shocked Sydney who slumped to their fourth grand final loss under coach John Longmire.
After the pre-match entertainment concluded, headlined by American pop singer Katy Perry, Sydney drew first blood when forwards Will Hayward and Tom Papley booted back-to-back goals.
Twenty-one-year-old livewire Kai Lohmann responded with two in a minute to help Brisbane capitalise on their possession dominance, which continued unabated into the second quarter when the Queenslanders rampaged.
Booting five majors in the space of 19 kicks at one point, Lions fans sensed the unfolding spectacle when full-forward Eric Hipwood covered his mouth in disbelief after improbably slotting a monster drop-punt from the boundary in the swirling wind.
Conceding a 46-point lead at halftime, the minor premiers could ill-afford a sluggish third-quarter start but the Lions midfield, led by Lachie Neale (34 disposals) and Will Ashcroft (30 disposals), ensured the margin only grew with regular forward-line supply.
Lohmann scored his fourth in the final term, levelling with teammate Callum Ah Chee as the most prolific goal-scorer in the match, before tall-forward Joe Daniher (two goals) concluded the carnage when he snapped truly before being mobbed.
At 63, Brisbane leader Chris Fagan became the oldest coach to win a grand final and the second not to have played the game at the highest level.
His fifth-ranked side reached the decider the hard way, beating Carlton, Greater Western Sydney and Geelong in sudden-death playoffs without the benefit of a potential bye week for those who finish first through fourth in the regular season.
(Reporting by Joel Dubber in Perth; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
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