Brisbane have booked their spot in a preliminary final with a colossal 44-point comeback win over GWS at ENGIE Stadium as star forward Joe Daniher's heroics kept the Lions' season alive.

The Giants led by more than four goals at the final break and extended their lead beyond 30 points before Queenslanders kicked the last five goals of the game to clinch a place against Geelong at the MCG next week.

The Lions finished with a five-point buffer over the Giants, who bow out of the finals race with two September losses where they held comfortable leads early.

Here are some of the key points from the match:

  • Daniher kicks final two goals to clinch famous semi-final win
  • Winnning goal saw Lions snatch back the lead for first time since 6th minute of first quarter
  • Hogan (five goals, six contested marks) heroics not enough as Giants let 44-point lead slip
  • Ashcroft (27 disposals, nine clearances, 14 contested possessions, 10 score involvements) and Berry (27 disposals, eight intercept possessions) immense for Lions in second-half comeback
  • Costly Daniels advantage miss in final term the one that will hurt GWS

>>ย STAT LEADERS, TEAM METRICS, LINEUPS, HISTORY AND MORE

 2024-09-14T09:30:00Z 
 
 
 
ENGIE Stadium
GWS   
100
FT
105
   BL
    #AFLGiantsLions
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

Recap how the game played out...

4th Quarter

FULL TIME
GWS: 15. 10. 100
Brisbane: 15. 15. 105

2:26: The Lions break away from half-back and Lohmann acts quickly to get the ball to Daniher one-on-one with Taylor deep in attack. The Lions big man takes a strong grab, goes back on his mark and gets the lead back for Brisbane. Massive!

3:37: Taylor is pinged for insufficient intent and Daniher claims the set shot 40m from goal. A tough kick for the left-footer but it's fades perfectly to make it a one-point game!

5:18:ย A minor score for McCluggage after ducks around two opponents but skews his kick to the right and it's punched over the line.

6:27: The Lions force the turnover in the middle of the field as McCluggage, Hipwood and Fletcher link up, with the latter kicking a goal on the run from 40m out to make it an eight-point game.

8:23:ย Zorko gets his second through a boot off the ground as several players scrap for a kick that lands near the goal line. Giants' lead down to 14.

10:40: Keeffe is held under a high ball forward from Ward and gets the free kick 40m from goal on a small angle. The veteran Giant's kick starts and stays to the left for a behind.

13:59:ย A blunder from the Giants. A free kick is awarded at the top of the goalsquare and Daniels takes the advantage, but his off-the-ground attempt misses and it's a chance gone begging.

14:21:ย This time it's Cameron through on goal after the Lions get a 50m penalty up the corridor. Ashcroft's long kick lands with Ah Chee, who assists Cameron on the run and it's back to three goals.

16:04:ย Ah Chee crumbs a dropped Daniher chance, but his snap shot from the pocket is too acute and it goes through the near side for a behind.

18:02:ย An immediate reply from the Lions via Hipwood, who gathers a loose ball out the back and brings it back to a 25-point game.

18:19:ย Greene drops a sitter in the pocket but manages to have the time to gather, get to his feet and snap one for the perfect start to the final term.

3rd Quarter

A quarter that was bookended by Giants goals but the Lions have kept this contest alive thanks to five unanswered goals that got the deficit down to 13 points. Will Ashcroft was immense in the third term as the main piece in midfield, but it was Jesse Hogan who ended the quarter on a high with two big grabs leading to goals.

Three-Quarter Time
GWS: 14. 8. 92
Brisbane: 9. 13. 67

0:56: Almost a carbon copy as another deep Daniels kick inside 50 lands in Hogan's hands. The Coleman Medal winner is on a tear and has a fifth goal.

1:46: The Giants get one against the grain as Daniels' long clearance forward is marked by Hogan. He turns around and finds an open O'Halloran atop the goalsquare and the Giants get their lead back to 19.

3:42: Some separation from Zorko in the Lions' front 50 wins him a push in the back free kick 25m out on a 45-degree angle. He steps around of his mark and makes it five in a row.

5:01:ย Make that four in a row for the Lions, with Bailey dancing around Giants defenders 40m from goal before finally turning his sights on goal and snapping truly.

5:25:ย Some more physicality from Ashcroft atop the goal square sees the young Lion get a kick off toward goal. Cameron is there for the taking and volleys one over the line. Brisbane with the momentum.

6:41:ย Another chance for the Lions but Neale's long-range kick on the tough angle floats right for a behind. GWS by 31.

7:19:ย Another for the Lions in less than a minute as McInerney grabs it out of the ruck and kicks truly from 25m out.

8:07:ย Lohmann gets his second and breaks the drought for the Lions after stepping off his mark, going around his opponent and onto his right boot in the forward pocket to bring the lead back down to 38.

8:42:ย What a time to get your first goal of 2024, with Ash getting forward and on the end of Ward handball 40m from goal a to launch a long-range bullet.

SUB MADE:ย Logan Morris (tactical) has been replaced by Conor McKenna.

10:12:ย A ball up in the Giants' 50 ends in a goal through Green, whose high kick follows an intercepted handball going through the big sticks to mount more pain on the Lions.

12:15: Oh no. A much-needed major goes missing for the Lions as Hipwood shanks one from 20m out straight in front after clunking a blind ball forward from McInerney.

13:28:ย The Giants get another and Hogan has his fourth as the GWS forward collected a ground ball from O'Halloran and could stroll toward goal for an easy major. Giants by 34.

16:55:ย A big bending kick from the big Briggs. He gathers, steps and snaps one off his right boot from 30m out to get the Giants' second half going.

19:19:ย Another behind for the Giants to start, as Cadman's difficult shot on goal from the pocket rushed over the line by Starcevich.

2nd Quarter

An inaccurate half for both sides, with easy chances going begging at either end of the field. Jesse Hogan and Toby Greene proving to be damaging for GWS when the ball is in their attack, while James Peatling has also been prolific through the middle with two goals too.

The Lions have struggled to get consistent clean looks on goal and are struggling to find easy exits from defence to start scoring chains.

Half-time
GWS: 8. 7. 55
Brisbane: 4. 10. 34

0:02: It's Hogan again as he brushes Payne aside and takes another mark inside 50. His set shot straight in front from 25m out goes straight through the middle. He has three for the night.

1:26: Hogan continues to dominate the front half of the field for the Giants, this time clunking Buckley's lofted pass inside 50. His difficult set shot doesn't stand a chance, with Hogan shaking his set shot out on the full to the near side.

7:50: The skipper gets on for the Giants, with Greene pushing off a Zorko tackle before bouncing one through from close to 50m out.

8:43: The Giants get on the counterattack and it's Greene through the corridor who finds O'Halloran. He can't take the mark but he has time to look up and pierce one to Hogan at close range. Hogan kicks it left and it's a costly miss. Behind.

10:22:ย The Giants make no mistake that time as Peatling's entry is dropped by Hogan before Daniels crumbs and gives it back to the Coleman Medal winner, who bends one through to make it an 11-point game.

11:11:ย O'Halloran gets an early chance after coming into the game, with a Peatling ball into attack setting him up with a set shot 40m out, no angle. But it's another behind, with his kick shanked to the left.

GWS blow as star midfielder Stephen Coniglio is subbed out following crunching contest

17:44:ย Cumming gets a great opportunity in goal after winning a holding-the-ball call. His close-range set shot unfortunately clanks into the post.

19:17: Lohmann gets the Lions's second term started in style with a snap shot from close range after the ball bounced around the pocket.

SUB MADE:ย Coniglio (cheekbone) has been replaced by O'Halloran.

1st Quarter

Quarter Time
GWS: 5. 3. 33
Brisbane: 3. 5. 23

1:21: Cadman's set shot from the boundary line 40m out hangs left and is punched over for a behind.

1:43:ย A break in play as Coniglio is assisted by medical staff following a marking contest that saw the Giants star hammered between Cadman and Andrews. After some time, Coniglio gets to his feet and is helped off the field for further assessment.

2:50: A 50-metre penalty goes against Brent Daniels in the middle of the field for giving the ball back to Dunkley, not McInerney. The big Lion's set shot from 40m out starts and stays right for a behind.

3:20: A big blunder from Cumming after a strong intercept grab in the Lions' forward 50. He takes a step off his mark and Daniher pounces on him for a tackle, pinged HTB. Joe gets his second with a comfortable set shot from close range.

5:02:ย An immediate reply from the Lions, who get it forward before Berry snatches a loose spoil and his handball over to an open Ah Chee gives the Lions another major as the latter bends one through on the run.

5:20: The Giants get the centre clearance and find Kelly on the wing as an outlet. His long left-foot kick to the hot spot is clunked by Hogan, who drills his first for the night.

6:19: Peatling makes it two goals in as many minutes with a well-crumbed throw-in that places him right in front of goal and in position to snap one through off his right boot from point-blank range.

7:59:ย Peatling gets the hands from Daniels in front of goal after an errant spoil from Zorko lands in the lap of the GWS small forward, who assists a Peatling major.

8:23:ย Cameron goes for the impossible in the right forward pocket but his shot floats through the close side for a behind. Had multiple options inboard.

9:27:ย A long kick forward from the middle of the park from Briggs goes through the hands of Greene at the hot spot, but a follow-up effort snap goes through the big sticks for an immediate response.

9:50:ย A breakthrough for the Lions, with Ah Chee's kick to a Daniher-Taylor one-on-one going over the top and in line for a goal before Joe sticks his boot out to seal a goal.

10:39:ย A quick kick out of congestion from Ah Chee trickles through for a behind in a rare opportunity forward for the Lions.

12:40: Greene gets a free for being held by Starcevich as a boundary throw-in comes into play. His set shot from 25m out on a 45-degree angle is pulled left and stays left for a behind.

15:55: The Orange Tsunami is in full force as Bedford, Kelly and Greene link up through the corridor, with the latter's entry into attack finding Cadman at the hot spot. The young forward slots the first major of the evening.

17:48: Daniher has a set shot on the tightest of angles right on the point post but is on his preferred side as a left-footer. He plays on off his mark and curls around but his kick is too sharp and goes through for a behind on the near side.

18:47:ย Aftet the ball ping pongs around at ground level inside the Lions' 50, Ashcroft quickly snaps a bouncing ball toward goal and records a behind for the first score of the night.

NOTE:ย Toby Bedford straight to Lachie Neale for a tag.

20:00 (mins remaining):ย National Anthem: Sung. Coin: Tossed. Opening Bounce: Done. We're underway!

Pre-Match

Both sides go into the game as selected, with Xavier O'Halloran (Giants) and Conor McKenna (Lions) named as the tactical subs.

The Giants claimed wins in both games between these two sides earlier this year, with a nine-goal win coming on Anzac Day in Canberra before GWS got the job done on Brisbane's home deck in Round 22 by the tune of 18 points.