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AFL Grand Final stage set as 125-year first to descend onto the MCG

The Swans and the Lions will face off for the 2024 premiership cup.

Published by
Aidan Cellini

Brisbane's epic preliminary final win and subsequent claim of one of the two grand final spots alongside Sydney will mark an astonishing 125-year record that will be broken on Saturday, September 28.

The Lions and the Swans - previously known as Fitzroy and South Melbourne - have yet to meet in a decider since 1899, when the competition was known as the VFL.

The match was played at Junction Oval in front of 4,823 fans, as the Lions were triumphant by one solitary point.

So much has changed since.

The pair have rarely met in finals before, with the 2003 preliminary final the last outing between the sides in September.

But the meeting of the two clubs or lack thereof in finals isn't due to the absence of success from both organisations throughout the years.

During the early 2000s, the Lions were at the peak of their powers, securing the first three-peat in the AFL era, knocking over Essendon and Collingwood twice to go down in history as one of the greatest teams.

Following their reign of brilliance that was ended by Port Adelaide in 2004 was the Swans, who, like their opposition next week, went back-to-back in deciders against West Coast, claiming one flag and putting an end to the largest drought (72 years) in football history.

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Since then, both clubs have toiled hard for their opportunities at premiership glory once again.

For the Swans, that came in 2012 when they defeated Hawthorn.

But what followed was three grand final losses across the next decade to the Hawks (2014), Western Bulldogs (2016) and Geelong (2022).

Albeit not the same amount of pain, Brisbane has had their share of proximity to lifting the cup.

After a tumultuous period during the early 2010s, which included a wooden spoon in 2017, the Chris Fagan epoch sparked an upward trajectory that has yet to come down in six years.

Since 2019, the Lions have made at least the semi-final in each season, whilst the heartbreak of last year's grand final loss to Collingwood will spur the club on as it heads toward another decider.

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Each year, Fagan has come increasingly close to winning the club's first flag since 2003, with the four-point loss in 2023 proving to be the barest of margins.

As for John Longmire, he experienced success early in his tenure but has yet to replicate that feeling.

Coined as the team to beat from early in the year, the Swans will go in as favourites.

But the never-say-die Lions, who denied all odds to surge from a 2-5 start to a grand final amidst a heap of injuries - adding Oscar McInerney to the list - will be given every chance to do the unthinkable.

Darcy Fort is expected to take his place.

And while Brisbane has their injury woes, the Swans will sweat on the availability of Logan McDonald, who hurt his ankle in Friday's victory.

The footy Gods would add further salt to the wound if McDonald were unable to get up for the contest after being replaced for the 2022 decider by Hayden McLean.

It will also mark the first non-Victorian grand final since 2006 when the Swans and Eagles did battle.

Published by
Aidan Cellini