Winner of PF1 versus Winner of PF2
Brisbane smashes Adelaide by 53 points in AFL semifinal to keep premiership three-peat dream alive
The Brisbane Lions are through to the AFL's final four, keeping their three-peat dream alive with a 53-point mauling of Adelaide at the Gabba.
asserted
Lions → smash → Gabba
Charlie Cameron kicked five goals as the Lions used an outrageous early onslaught to cruise to a 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91) triumph and will face Hawthorn in a preliminary final next weekend.
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Lions → kick → final
Challenged after defeat to Sydney last week, a number of Brisbane's best players stepped up with Zac Bailey, Cam Rayner and Will Ashcroft all terrific in a comprehensive win.
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Bailey → challenge → win
Adelaide champion Taylor Walker kicked two goals in the last quarter of his career before bidding a tearful goodbye after full-time.
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Walker → kick → time
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.
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action → look → blog
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That's it from the blog tonight
We're going to leave it there tonight, with Brisbane celebrating a comfortable and convincing victory as the Lions punch their ticket to yet another preliminary final.
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Lions → submit → final
It's going to be one of Brisbane, Fremantle, Hawthorn or Sydney, that much we know.
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we → go → much
But not much more than that, it really is right up for grabs now for the four remaining sides.
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it → remain → sides
The blog will be back on Friday night for the first preliminary final, and we hope to have your company then.
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we → hope → company
Lions respond with thumping semifinal win over Crows
Seven scintillating minutes set the tone as the Brisbane Lions kept their AFL three-peat hopes alive with a 53-point defeat of Adelaide at the Gabba.
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Lions → respond → Gabba
The Lions, chasing a third straight premiership, will face Hawthorn in an MCG preliminary final after a rollicking 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91) Saturday night semi-final triumph.
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Lions → chase → triumph
Set up by five goals in the game's first seven minutes and 13 seconds — no team has done it faster in an AFL final — it was an emphatic response to last Saturday's Sydney hiding, when they were beaten by the same margin.
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they → Set → margin
Adelaide, who took 19 minutes to kick their first goal, eventually found their feet and surged within 10 points thanks to back-to-back Darcy Fogarty goals among four straight majors in the second term.
But just as quickly the Lions sped clear again, Charlie Cameron (5.3) causing carnage as the hosts kicked four more majors in less than nine minutes to finish the half with a 38-point lead.
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hosts → take → lead
Hopes of another Crows surge were quickly extinguished after the main break as a trio of goals, rubber-stamped by a long-range Dayne Zorko effort, blew the margin out to 57 points.
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trio → extinguish → points
Zac Bailey (three goals, 23 disposals), days after confirming a monster eight-year extension at Brisbane instead of signing with the Crows, ran free, while Kai Lohmann and Cam Rayner were also heavily involved after being neutralised by the Swans.
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Lohmann → confirm → Swans
Will Ashcroft collected 30 disposals for the Lions, while Jordan Dawson finished with 30 disposals and eight tackles for the Crows.
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Dawson → collect → Crows
The preliminary finals' dates and times are locked in
We're down to the final four.
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We → lock → four
Here's what the biggest weekend of the season will look like:
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weekend → look → season
- Friday night: Sydney vs Fremantle at the SCG, 7:40pm AEST
- Saturday twilight: Hawthorn vs Brisbane at the MCG, 5:15pm AEST
Brisbane's big names deliver
Practically every Lion that was challenged during the week stepped up tonight.
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that → deliver → week
It was a very even performance across that Brisbane team, but there were a few standouts:
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It → be → team
Zac Bailey: 23 disposals, five tackles, 14 score involvements, 558 metres gained, three goals
Cam Rayner: 22 disposals, four tackles, 551 metres gained, 11 score involvements, two goals
Charlie Cameron: 14 disposals, five goals
Will Ashcroft: 30 disposals, six clearances, 13 score involvements
Key Event
A farewell for Taylor Walker
The Tex tears are flowing as he and his children walk through a guard of honour.
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he → gain → honour
The Adelaide champion strides into retirement after 319 games for the Crows.
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champion → stride → Crows
Some declared this game over after seven minutes.
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game → declare → minutes
Adelaide's second quarter rendered those predictions incorrect, but only briefly.
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predictions → render → ?
Brisbane was switched on tonight right from the opening bounce, and always looked like blowing Adelaide away.
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Brisbane → switch → Adelaide
So it proved, a nine-goal win probably the least the Lions deserved in a game that allowed them the luxury of taking the foot off the gas late.
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that → prove → gas
If it wasn't done seven minutes in, it was at half-time.
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it → do → time
Win that and another grand final awaits.
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final → win → that
Who could possibly count these Lions out?
uncertain
Who → count → Lions
It's curtains for Adelaide though, the end of a season that brought so many positives but ends at the same juncture as 2025.
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that → bring → 2025
They need to get better next year to take the next step, but they aren't miles away.
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they → need → step
Until they are eliminated, perhaps it's best to consider them the favourites.
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them → eliminate → ?
Alex Neal-Bullen kicks another one for Adelaide
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Bullen → kick → Adelaide
Are there concerns for Brisbane's defence still given they have coughed up 91 points tonight?
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they → give → points
Probably not, given the game has been dusted since half-time really.
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game → give → time
Neal-Bullen stepped through some witch's hats there to convert.
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Bullen → step → hats
Ben Keays kicks his second for Adelaide
Been a lot of goals in this one.
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kicks → kick → one
Keays crumbed the pack there and goaled easily from 15 metres out.
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Keays → crumb → pack
The Brisbane bench is now packed with stars.
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bench → pack → stars
Charlie Cameron has five goals for the Lions
One of Tex Walker's boys has his hands over his ears as Country Roads plays again.
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Roads → have → ears
…and 29 more, not listed.
