Hello and welcome to Zero Hanger's live coverage of Saturday evening's preliminary final between the Geelong Cats and Brisbane Lions at the MCG.

We have reached the penultimate weekend of the 2024 AFL season, with the loser bidding farewell to their premiership aspirations while the winner advances to grandest stage of all, the grand final.

 2024-09-21T07:15:00Z 
MATCH IN PROGRESS
MCG
GEEL   
69
Q4 03:43
70
   BL
    #AFLCatsLions
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

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18:10: Holmes straight from the ground and to the back of the bench. Mitch Duncan is set to replace him. The rain has begun.

Elsewhere, McInerney has been sent to hospital on his shoulder.

Third Quarter

The Lions put five goals on to steal the lead at the final change of the preliminary final.

The Cam Rayner move into the midfield was a masterstroke, while Zac Bailey is looking dangerous in the front half for Brisbane.

McInerney's injury has unveiled Daniher into the ruck, and to good effect.

As for Geelong, they lost their ability to work for one another. The Lions are bringing the pressure, but the Cats failed to move the ball with ease.

Both sides have had their opportunities, with an extraordinary rate of scores converted from inside 50s.

Three-Quarter Time
Geelong: 10.8 68
Brisbane: 10.10 70

3:48: Holmes is back on the ground, but the Lions have regained the lead.

5:14: Bailey brings it back to one solitary point. Rayner has lifted while Ah Chee's handball found Bailey streaming into an open goal.

5:43: Holmes has been on the bench for 13 minutes and is looking dejected. Not looking good.

7:46: Things are turning up green for Brisbane. A dangerous kick by Starcevich through the midfield found McCluggage, who eventually found Rayner via hand at the 50-metre arc.

Rayner kicked the ball through, but a goal review indicated the ball was touched. Cats fans breathe a sigh of relief. Margin is seven points.

9:04: Rayner responds. After a quiet first half, Cam Rayner has been injected into the midfield, and when the Lions turned the ball over front of centre, the No.1 Pick finished off their work. Cats by eight.

9:48: Max Holmes sighted on the boundary line doing fitness tests. Will be a watch, especially after missing the 2022 grand final with a hamstring injury.

10:04: Blicavs goals. A free-kick to Guthrie on the wing leads to a Mannagh inside 50, finding the versatile tall by his lonesome in front of goal.

11:42: McKenna is activated for the Lions as Tom Stewart is thrown into the midfield for the Cats. Geelong by eight.

12:27: Three in a row for the Lions. Lohmann joins the party as Brisbane has flipped this game around. The forward pressure forced the ball to bobble out to the livewire, who will make you pay.

13:00 - INJURY: It looks like McInerney has dislocated his shoulder again and is coming from the field. Chris Fagan is likely to bring on Conor McKenna, while Daniher and Hipwood will feature in the ruck.

14:33: Turnover central, but the Lions make the most of it. Back-to-back goals as Charlie Cameron draws Brisbane back to 14 points.

15:49: Dangerfield in everything in the last minute. Cops a knee to the back from Andrews. Penalised for a dangerous tackle on McCluggage. Shouldn't be in hot water, but you never know with the MRO.

16:46: Brisbane responds. A non-mark to Zach Guthrie leaves Callum Ah Chee alone to crumb the marking contest and curl the footy back. Cats by 19.

17:52: The Cats get the first goal of the second half to take the margin to a game-high 25 points. An errant Dayne Zorko kick in the back half led to Max Holmes finding Dangerfield alone in the goal square.

2nd Quarter

The Cats' accuracy in front of goal was impressive, kicking 7.1 as the rain started to increase at the MCG.

Brisbane will need to decide on Oscar McInerney, as he is clearly struggling in the ruck with his shoulder injury.

Geelong's run from the back half has been at their best during that second quarter, setting up a 19-point lead.

Half-Time
Geelong: 8.7 55
Brisbane: 5.6 36

4:20: The injury to McInerney is beginning to cost the Lions. He is battling on, but the Cats have scored five goals from stoppage.

5:39: MIERS HAS DONE IT AGAIN! After missing multiple opportunities early in the match, the Cats can't miss at the minute. The small forward from the boundary defied all physics. Cats by 17.

6:24: Geelong slingshot from defence to attack is a joy to watch. Ends up with a Dempsey goal, but the work from Dangerfield and Stengle at ground level would please Chris Scott. Cats by 11.

7:30: Zac Bailey has been the likely one for the Lions. He has three scores already but multiple misses that he'd like back.

7:50: End-to-end stuff from the Cats. Bruhn to Close to Dempsey to Neale to Miers. An important goal for Geelong. Cats by six.

9:50: Lions fans left bemused by the typical misses in front of goal. Chance squandered by Zac Bailey.

10:15: After conceding three goals in a row, the Lions looked to Hugh McCluggage to lift them. Gets Max Holmes holding the ball, then converts from 40 metres out directly in front. Cats by two.

13:20: Geelong channelling their inner Socceroos, with Brad Close keeping the ball alive for Gryan Miers, who crossed it along the ground from the boundary to hit Ollie Henry in the goal square. WHAT A GOAL. Cats by eight.

14:20: Ollie Dempsey and Tyson Stengle are yet to touch the ball for the Cats.

15:30: Geelong in front. A good contest from Henry and Mannagh sees Cameron swoop on the loose ball, kicking his second goal of the prelim final. Cats by two.

16:40: Cats respond quickly through Mannagh. A Dangerfield centre clearance leads to the small forward to burst inside 50 and skid one through. Lions by four.

17:10: A turnover from a Tom Stewart kick-out leads the Lions to find Logan Morris deep inside forward 50. He snaps truly. His first goal ever at the MCG. Lions by 10.

HIGHLIGHT: Lohmann with a screamer.

18:45: Great crumbing from Ollie Henry out the back of the marking contest, running into an open goal and drawing the Cats closer. Lions by three.

1st Quarter

Geelong had all the play early in the piece but were unable to capitalise on their dominance.

Brisbane were able to slingshot from defence to attack with relative ease once they settled into the game.

And the big watch will be on McInerney as he battles through a shoulder injury.

Quarter Time
Geelong: 1.5 11
Brisbane: 3.2 20

INJURY: Brisbane ruckman Oscar McInerney dislocated his left shoulder. Will be a watch.

5:00: Hipwood goes bang. The Lions opting to gain territory from centre wing through Darcy Wilmot lands in the hands of Eric Hipwood, who on the run snaps truly with his preferred. Lions by 10.

5:35: Quick response from Brisbane and Bailey. The Lions burst from the centre stoppage and, with quick hands, found the livewire forward free and charging inside 50. He delivers. Lions by four.

5:57: After such an arm-wrestle, both clubs are finally on the board. A good contest from Shannon Neale sees Jeremy Cameron snap the ball 20m out from goal.

6:55: A contentious mark call sees Charlie Cameron mark the ball in Charlie Cameron territory. He nails the first goal of the preliminary final. Lions by four.

8:20: Kai Lohmann earned himself a free-kick against Tom Stewart along the boundary line inside 50. Misses again. Very tough contest.

Still goalless.

12:25: The Cats are kicking like Brisbane in front of goal, missing very gettable opportunities to kick off this clash. The game has yet to see a major.

15:00: Still goalless, but Geelong's front-half pressure is on for everyone to see. The Lions are struggling to release the pressure valve.

20:00 (mins remaining): We're underway at the MCG, with the toss won by Geelong.

Pre-Match

Teams head into the opening bounce as named, with Mitch Duncan (Geelong) and Conor McKenna (Brisbane) named as the tactical subs.

The Cats come into this contest as favourites and claimed the win in Round 6 earlier in the season. Chris Scott's men also hold the advantage in recent finals, with Geelong winning the preliminary final in both 2020 and 2022 to advance to the decider.

The winner awaits a date with Sydney on the last Saturday in September.