Brisbane snatch victory from Hawthorn in all-time classic AFL preliminary final | AFL

The Lions players were quick to go to Jarman Impey after the final siren. The Hawks defender looked about as shattered as you could image. But as I said earlier, hard to argue that call wasn’t there. And then McCluggage still had to take the moment from a tough angle.

Dayne Zorko was important to the Lions getting the ball forward for what turned into the match-defining play. The veteran tries to make sense of what he just witnessed and how he felt when McCluggage lined up for the shot.

He had multiple opportunities throughout the game. So he lines up that. Always confident. He works extremely hard on his set shot goals. He probably rushed a little bit. I didn’t like that he rushed, could’ve take a little off the clock, but oh my god, can’t believe he did it again.

[When the Lions lead was 21 points … ] We thought, oh, the game’s done. And then the Hawks kick the next four. Certainly didn’t think it was done, but they did get some more looks, that was concerning. So had to cut off a few leads and tighten a few things up in there. And we did. They didn’t get away from us. It kept it a margin that we could come back.

The 30 second sign went up. So I thought he’d actually take his 30 and maybe be the hero after the siren. But he rushed through it. He’s a beautiful set shot. He’s a beautiful kick.

That’s the footy you want to see. Oh, it’s the entertainment, right? We would love to be a little bit tighter in defence no doubt about it. But the game doesn’t allow that all the time. So look, we knew it was going to be a moment by moment thing tonight.

Hugh McCluggage just kicked the match-winner to launch the Lions into a fourth consecutive grand final. The Lions midfielder is speaking to Fox Sports.

Unbelievable. I’m absolutely speechless. It was just such an arm wrestle there, back and forth, and the crowd was amazing. We had momentum in the third. They played really well in the fourth and we just came out on top.

They got that run going and centre bounce as well. They really got some territory, they’re an amazing team. Like, the Wiz and and Gunners as well. They’re hard to stop if you give them good looks. I’m just super super proud of the boys for fighting back at the end.

I was thinking I’ve kicked these. I warmed up and kicked a lot of them and I had a couple in the game as well. So just run straight, kick it and take the moment. Probably could have taken a bit more time off the clock now that I think about it

Among all the chaos of that finish – the Lions are through to a fourth consecutive grand final as their bid for a premiership three-peat remains alive.

The conjecture will be around Impey’s holding the ball decision. In my view it was clearly there, not that that will make the result any easier to take for the Hawks.

Will Ashcroft wins the ball from the middle, charges forward and picks out Kai Lohmann alone in the pocket. The pair had been critical to the Lions victory, and Lohmann seals the win with a goal after the siren.

Woooow! The Lions have won a preliminary final for the ages.

Q4: 20 secs remaining: Hawthorn 19.8.122 – Brisbane 19.11.125

The Lions are back in front. Impey collected the ball deep in defence but tried to lock the ball in. McCluggage held him tight and the umpire had no choice but to blow the whistle. He kicks his third and … oh my …

Q4: 1 min remaining: Hawthorn 19.8.122 – Brisbane 18.11.119

The Lions bomb the ball inside 50 again but this time Sicily takes his turn to stand up and take a strong pack mark. The Hawks find a couple of stoppages at half-back

Q4: 2 mins remaining: Hawthorn 19.8.122 – Brisbane 18.11.119

The Lions win the centre clearance through Will Ashcroft and Jarrod Berry off the wing. The Hawks defenders take a pair of critical marks but can’t find a way past half-back.

Q4: 3 mins remaining: Hawthorn 19.8.122 – Brisbane 18.11.119

Mitch Lewis soars over a pack to pull down an incredible pack mark. The key forward goes back to kick his fourth goal and take back the lead for the Hawks.

Q4: 4 mins remaining: Hawthorn 18.8.116 – Brisbane 18.11.119

The Lions defence stands tall under persistent pressure before a rushed behind allows them to go end-to-end. It isn’t pretty until Bailey finds Levi Ashcroft inside 50. The young midfielder goes back to take his shot before passing off to McCluggage much closer but on a much tighter angle. But McCluggage is up to the task and Lions reclaim the lead.

Q4: 6 mins remaining: Hawthorn 18.7.115 – Brisbane 17.11.113

It’s all Hawthorn as they pepper their goalline without quite being able to hang on to a mark. 97, 835 fans at the MCG won’t forget this preliminary final for the ages.

Q4: 7 mins remaining: Hawthorn 18.7.115 – Brisbane 17.11.113

Watson has six goals. And the Hawks have the lead.

Q4: 8 mins remaining: Hawthorn 17.7.109 – Brisbane 17.11.113

The Hawks win another centre clearance after the Lions controlled that part of the game for 100 minutes. The Lions are able to bring this entry to ground and gradually clear. They will need another goal or two though, the way this game has been going.

Q4: 9 mins remaining: Hawthorn 17.7.109 – Brisbane 17.11.113

A repeat of the Hawks fast break a few moments ago – Meek taps to Ward who sets off and picks out Gunston on the lead. The Hawks are back within a kick.

Q4: 9 mins remaining: Hawthorn 16.7.103 – Brisbane 17.11.113

Watson works his magic with a mark off Harry Morrison’s scrambled kick at a stoppage. But the goalsneak has to send it beyond 55m. He steps to the right and launches a long bomb that hooks around for a goal.

Q4: 10 mins remaining: Hawthorn 15.7.97 – Brisbane 17.11.113

The Lions lock the ball forward until the Hawks finally clear. They are very nearly all the way through until Ty Gallop stops the rush with a desperate tackle. On the rebound, McKenna has a few steps toward goal before being tackled. Not sure why that wasn’t a free kick for incorrect disposal, but the Lions will take the behind.

Q4: 11 mins remaining: Hawthorn 15.7.97 – Brisbane 17.10.112

The Hawks storm out of the middle again and send the ball deep inside 50. Quick hands off the deck release Watson but the snap shot sails wide. He had a teammate alone in the goalsquare and waves an apology.

Q4: 12 mins remaining: Hawthorn 15.6.96 – Brisbane 17.10.112

Josh Ward wins the ball from the middle and delivers it down Gunston’s throat. The evergreen forward kicks truly and, dare I say it, the Hawks are back in this.

Q4: 13 mins remaining: Hawthorn 14.6.90 – Brisbane 17.10.112

Mabior Chol has barely touched it today. But he gives the Hawks some hope. The key forward drifts to the arc all alone as the Hawks surge the ball through the centre square. He kicks truly from outside 50m.

Q4: 14 mins remaining: Hawthorn 13.6.84 – Brisbane 17.10.112

Logan Morris boots his second for the term – and the game – as the Lions spread of talents across the forward half become too much for the Hawks.

Q4: 15 mins remaining: Hawthorn 13.6.84 – Brisbane 16.9.105

Moore wins a free kick for a high tackle within range. But the half-forward hurries his shot and it sails on the near side of the goal post.

Q4: 16 mins remaining: Hawthorn 13.5.83 – Brisbane 16.9.105

Dylan Moore gives the Hawks a sniff with a goal from next to nothing. It comes from a hurried kick forward but he made the most of the opportunity.

Q4: 17 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 16.9.105

Zac Bailey was the main man last week but has had to hand over the reins today. He earns a free kick for a high tackle but misses the set shot.

Q4: 18 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 16.7.103

Logan Morris has barely been sighted except for a pair of behinds. But the young key forward has his first goal after a mark on the lead, and the Lions are threatening to pull away.

Q4: 19 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 15.7.97

The Lions are back on the attack as they lock the ball forward. The Hawks will be clinging on unless something dramatic changes very quickly.

The Lions are on top in all of their strongest areas of the game – contest and clearance, controlled possession, defensive intercepts and with their half-forward doing the rest of the damage. The Hawks have a lot to turnaround but surely they have more shots to fire. Here we go …

The Lions have done what they do best in what once again could be remembered as the premiership quarter. The reigning premiers piled on seven goals to the Hawks’ one with Kai Lohmann taking centre stage with a team-high six disposals, three marks and three goals for the term.

Q3: 1 min remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 15.7.97

The Lions defence holds up as the Hawks make a desperate surge from the centre ball-up. Impey marks the ball in the centre circle but the Hawks have run out of clear avenues to goal.

Q3: 2 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 15.7.97

The Hawks bomb the ball inside 50 again and Draper stands up to pick off the mark. A sublime transition passes through the hands of Will Ashcroft and Rayner among others before finding Lohmann in the pocket. He ignores Hipwood 20m out directly in front. But the kick is never in doubt even from a difficult angle.

Q3: 3 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 14.7.91

The Hawks get the ball forward but Andrews is controlling the airways in typical fashion.

Q3: 4 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 14.7.91

Another centre clearance to the Lions but Impey sets off to rebound. The Hawks defender tries to handpass as he is tackled by Lohmann and barely gets a fingernail to the ball. Lohmann makes no mistake from behind the arc and the reigning premiers are on the march.

Q3: 5 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 13.7.85

From the kick-in Impey looks for Weddell running into open space on a wing. But Ryan Lester and, crucially, Charlie Cameron are right on his tail. Cameron wins the ball back, finds McKenna inside 50. The small forward finds Hipwood standing alone at the top of the goal square and he pumps through a third.

Q3: 6 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 12.7.79

Lohmann launches and pulls down a strong mark on the lead. The snap shot hits the belly of the ball and barely scores a behind.

Q3: 7 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.5.77 – Brisbane 12.6.78

The Hawks enter the forward 50 without finding a target as the Lions clear the ball over the boundary. From the throw-in, Wilmot is all at sea as he blocks Watson’s attempt to run into the pack and gives away a free kick. The small forward snaps but is too short on the shot.

The Lions have scored seven goals straight from 15 centre clearances.

Q3: 8 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.4.76 – Brisbane 12.6.78

Kai Lohmann snaps from the tightest of angles alongside the behind post to give the Lions the lead. Ashcroft boots the ball off the ground as the Lions win another centre clearance. McKenna burns off Sicily in space but the snap flies across the face where Lohmann stands his ground to mark under pressure.

Q3: 9 mins remaining: Hawthorn 12.4.76 – Brisbane 11.6.72

McCluggage takes his chance this time. The Lions win a free kick in the forward pocket with Josh Battle all over Oscar Allen. The key forward is forced from the field under the blood rule and the midfielder is happy to make amends for an earlier miss.