So, a day to remember for the Brisbane Lions. A premiership after 21 years without. That’s about what probability suggests the gap should be, with 18 teams and soon to be 19 in the competition, but it’s still an awfully long time in the life of a supporter. There must be kids who watched Michael Voss and company who today have Brisbane-supporting kids of their own. Chris Fagan has built up this side gradually over a number of years, improving across most of that journey, though it looked like they were sliding earlier this season. They arrested that, then turned it around in spectacular fashion.

Commiserations to Sydney and South Melbourne, congratulations to Brisbane and Fitzroy. Enjoy the celebrations, whether you’re down Brunswick Street or around Fortitude Valley.

That’s it from us. Until next season.

I like this from Charlie Cameron. “I think the focus all year was about just keeping it simple, simple brilliance, and don’t force it. And move on as well. That was the motto we’ve been living by: moving on, goldfish. Chris Fagan, I think at one point we were zero and three, and at one point he said ‘If you’re skating on thin ice, why not dance?’”

Ashcroft is full of smiles. His first flag for Brisbane, after his dad won three, and after coming back from a long-term knee injury.

“I set myself a goal in the second half of the year and to come back and play my first finals. I can’t believe it. [His dad’s advice:] To play my way. He knows it stacks up if I play my brand and what my teammates are doing we have a good chance of winning it. I have a bit to chase him down. I can’t believe it. As hard as it was to miss last year, I set myself a goal: the hardest prize all 17 of us were gunning for. To be here, and then win it, my God. Unbelievable.”

Here’s our match report from Jonathan Horn.

For me, the standout moment since the final siren was seeing Oscar McInerney with Darcy Fort just after it ended. Oscar played all season and then dislocated his shoulder last week. Popped it back in, finished the prelim with his team on the winning side. Then had to watch from sidelines as Fort played his third game of the entire season.

And yes, right after that siren, he was out there with his fellow ruckman, beaming a smile, holding Fort’s arms and almost jumping up and down. Could not have looked happier. What a way to handle it.

The French national anthem rings out over the MCG as Brisbane’s players flood the podium and raise the cup. It makes sense if you’re Australian.

Chris Fagan gets the Jock McHale medal hung around his neck, for the premiership coach.

“Firstly to Sydney, I know it’s a really hard place for you guys to be at the moment because we’ve been there before, but you’re one of the clubs that we’ve modelled ourselves on to be honest, and we have enormous respect for you and we know you’re going to bounce back well next year. Congratulations on your season.

“To the AFL thank you very much for the season you’ve put on. It’s been a season like no other. Somehow a team that finished fifth on the ladder and had to play every week has managed to win the flag!

“To everybody at my football club, the board, all the football department, the coaching group, the fitness crew, there’s so many people to mention but you know that every single person in our football club is important to us and you’re all a part of what we’ve done today.

“To the families, partners, children of all our players, I hope you feel good with the what’s happened today. You sacrifice an awful lot and this is one of the rewards you get if you’re lucky enough, a premiership. So, thanks for all you’ve done.

“To the players, what a group of footballers you are. You’ve shown enormous resilience this season. At one stage we were 13th and things weren’t looking good but you found a way and I’m so proud of you, and we’re going to have some fun together over the next few days. So, well bone, boys. I think I’m just about done, but what a day.”

Neale: “Firstly, to the Swans, enormous respect for your organisation and your team, you’re always thereabouts and have had a fantastic year. So, commiserations but, yes, we admire what you guys do. Every year you put yourselves in this position to keep for the flag. So we’ve looked up to you for a long time. Thank you. To the AFL, thanks, once again, for a massive subpoena, one of the best seasons, one of the closest ever.

“To our footy club, from top to bottom an unbelievable organisation. I love this group so much but led superbly from the president down, thank you so much to everyone that works so hard behind the scenes to make this possible. Thank you.

“To the boys, love you guys so much, unbelievable to be up here. This group’s phenomenal… Last but certainly not least, to our fans - you guys are the best in the comp! We love what you guys bring. It’s been an unbelievable ride the last six years for me personally but the journey dates way back, and to our families as well, thank you so much for everything you sacrifice for us to be here. Love you all.”

Fred Woller, captain of the 1963 Geelong flag, presents the Ron Barassi medal, a new medal to be awarded to premiership captains. One each for Andrews and Neale.

Now the medal presentations begin.

Lohmann
Daniher
Ah Chee
Dunkley
McCluggage
Berry
Ashcroft
Morris
Zorko
Rayner
Cameron
McKenna
Fletcher
Hipwood
Fort
Bailey
Lester
Starcevich
Payne
Answerth
Wilmot

and Andrews the captain to round it out, with Lachie Neale.

A surprisingly detailed speech from Rampe, where most players just get out of there as quickly as they can.

“To Chris, Lachie, and Harris, on behalf of the Swans Sydney Football Club, congratulations. Unfortunately, I know what it’s like to dust yourself off after a Grand Final loss and to do that, after last year’s result, and you did that yourself, I think you should be extremely proud.”

Sponsors, blah blah.

“To our red and white fans, thank you so much for the support you’ve shown all throughout this year, we’ve felt the energy, we’ve felt the love. I’m sorry we fell short again. Which leads me into my boys today. As I said, we’ve fallen short again but I stand here beaming with pride that we put ourselves back in the ring, dusted ourselves up off the canvas after ‘22, and put ourselves in the position to keep swinging. But we should be proud of what we’ve achieved to put ourselves back in there. The universe didn’t have it in store for us today but let’s get back in the ring some time in the future.”

The umpires get their medals in a box to be carried off stage as expeditiously as possible. Dane Rampe up next for the Swans.

Who was best on ground? The Norm Smith medal judges are former players Jack Riewoldt, Shaun Burgoyne and Rory Sloane, and footy journos Riley Beveridge and Anna Harrington.

Lachie Neale led the stats count with 34, and they love throwing a Norm at a Brownlow medallist. Will Ashcroft was dynamic. Lohmann got them started when the game was open, and he and Ah Chee both kicked four goals. Maybe a defender? Andrews or Starcevich?

For Sydney, what do you make of another dire performance in the biggest game of the year?

John Longmire has been there since 2010. They won a flag under him in 2012. But since then they’ve lost four in 11 seasons, and not just lost. Hawthorn destroyed them, Geelong even more so, and now Brisbane. Their game against the Western Bulldogs was the closest but it also meant losing to a team coming from outside the top four.

Luke Parker is the only player to have featured in all five, which means at least he knows what it feels like to win one.

Dane Rampe and Jake Lloyd have played in the four losses. Isaac Heeney and Tom Papley have lost three.

On the flipside there’s Josh Dunkley. The Swans declined to draft him with a father-son pick. So he went on to be part of the Bulldogs team that beat them in 2016, and now the Brisbane team that has just wiped them off the park.

Reaching grand finals has to be better than not reaching them, but the manner of the defeats with so many instances now does raise questions about why. Even if there are no straightforward answers.

For Brisbane people and for Fitzroy people, this is the moment. After all of the turmoil and distress of the merger, the relocation, there is still a Lions team in the AFL and their time has come.

Three flags in a row, sure, then losing a grand final in attempting their fourth, but that fourth attempt was in 2004. It’s a long time ago now.

For the modern version of this team, they’ve had the upset of getting so close for several years. Two prelim losses to the Cats, then a losing grand final last year. This year they finally beat their prelim bogey team, and now they’ve won the big one.

Celebrations have been ongoing on the bench for a couple of minutes, low key but Chris Fagan is down there, shaking hands and hugging with players as they come off the ground.

Q4. 1 min remaining: Sydney 9.6 (60) v Brisbane 18.12 (120) Three in the term now for Parker, who kicks truly from the right forward pocket after some staunch Sydney defence got the ball back upfield. The Lions don’t care. But there’s icing on the cake for them a minute later as a couple of handballs find Joe Daniher, in the pocket, turning back away from goal to steady and snap on the left, and the entire Lions team flock to him to leap all over their key forward.

Q4. 3 mins remaining: Sydney 8.6 (54) v Brisbane 17.12 (114) Tired players out there now. Just a lot of handballs into traffic, tackles and falling to ground. Finally the ball finds a bit of clear grass, allowing Luke Parker to grab it and rake another long goal. Gets the blowout back to 60 points.

Q4. 6 mins remaining: Sydney 7.5 (47) v Brisbane 17.12 (114) More for Brisbane. Kai Lohmann started Brisbane’s day and now he caps it off, kicking his fourth after getting some air in front of goal to take a mark.

Q4. 9 mins remaining: Sydney 7.5 (47) v Brisbane 16.12 (108) Where did that come from? Two in 20 seconds for the Swans, as Warner walks out of the centre square after a handball and kicks true from 50.

Q4. 10 mins remaining: Sydney 6.5 (41) v Brisbane 16.12 (108) Finally, a Sydney goal. Amartey gets a Bronx as he finally gets a second stat on centre wing, though his kick up the wing is off target and turns it over. Swans win it back though. Lloyd, to Fox, who has been one of Sydney’s few good performers today, finds Parker at the top of the arc. Runs around and unloads from 52 metres, gets it.

Q4. 15 mins remaining: Sydney 5.5 (35) v Brisbane 16.12 (108) The Brisbane defence keeps picking off Sydney kicks forward, the only opportunity coming from a long Blakey shot that he kicks wide to the right. Lions playing possession as much as they can, chipping to free players. Ah Chee marks in the pocket and misses, trying to match Jason Akermanis at the top of the list with five for the Lions in a grand final.

Q3. 0 min remaining: Sydney 5.4 (34) v Brisbane 16.11 (107) More symbols: Joel Amartey’s first kick of the day comes with one minute left in the third quarter, shot at goal, and he boots it out on the full.

Thirty seconds left on the clock, and Callum Ah Chee strolls into an open goal to kick his fourth. Blakey has been towelled up today.

Q3. 2 mins remaining: Sydney 5.4 (34) v Brisbane 15.11 (101) Symbolic. Papley, barely sighted today, runs in a circle in midfield, surrounded by opponents, loses the ball as he tries to handpass, popping it into the air, then slaps it out of the air away from one Lion and straight to another, and Brisbane go up field for Morris to kick another and crack the ton.

Q3. 6 mins remaining: Sydney 5.4 (34) v Brisbane 14.10 (94) Brisbane have just stifled everything from Sydney this quarter. Setting up across the wing, stopping attempted forays forward and sending them back, bleeding the clock at the same time, making sure there isn’t time for a Sydney surge. Not that it looks likely. And after a few more gruelling minutes of this, Rayner gets up high in the right forward pocket to bring down a mark, knee in the back with a small ride, and kicks truly once he lines up his shot. Ten goals the margin.

Q3. 9 mins remaining: Sydney 5.4 (34) v Brisbane 13.10 (88) Oh wait, is the comeback off? The Lions restore the margin after a matter of seconds, with Ashcroft charging through a pack after a boundary throw-in to snap a goal on the right.

Q3. 10 mins remaining: Sydney 5.4 (34) v Brisbane 12.9 (81) The commentators start to talk up the comeback, at about 50 points the difference. The Swans crowd the land of the ball as Neale tries to clear defence, and send it back for Heeney to claim a strong mark with some attention being paid to him. Goes back and slots it.

Q3. 14 mins remaining: Sydney 4.4 (28) v Brisbane 12.9 (81) Sydney out of chances, if they weren’t before. Papley hands over the top in the pocket. McInerney knows he’s about to be tackled so instead of taking possession near the line he blindly backhands the ball back into play. Turns it over immediately, Lions run the field, Daniher squares it up to Ah Chee who kicks his third from a set shot.

Q3. 14 mins remaining: Sydney 4.4 (28) v Brisbane 11.9 (75) A let-off for Sydney: Lloyd gets pinged for holding Charlie Cameron, giving up a shot 20 out, but Cameron hits the post. Then Cam Rayner has a shot from 40 after a mark and misses too. Sydney go through the centre, long and direct via Gulden and Papley, find a mark, but from just outside 50, Jordon kicks it out on the full.

Q3. 18 mins remaining: Sydney 4.4 (28) v Brisbane 11.7 (73) Underway. Rowbottom with the first centre clearance via a free kick. Bombs away and can’t find a target though. Brisbane clear, Warner sends it back to the teeth of goal, but Harris Andrews takes it and is tackled over the line for a behind.

Parker has indeed gone into the middle, with the second half about to start.

The state of play: The Swans have been slow starters this season but have come back seven times to win after trailing at half time. The biggest comeback though was from 21 points down, in that memorable qualifying final against GWS.

Today it’s 46 points. which means Sydney would also need a VFL/AFL record for a grand final. That of course is the 44 points that Carlton chased down against Collingwood in 1970, when Ron Barrassi told the Blues to “handball, handball, handball.”

Playing on at all costs is more the modern way, so if Swans coach John Longmire wants that to happen he’ll need the likes of Luke Parker and Isaac Heeney to get the ball going in their direction from the clearances, which Brisbane have dominated. Even more lopsided is the uncontested possession count, where the Lions have been able to keep the ball away from Sydney.

McCreery takes it from Wilson by a fraction, lunging for the ribbon with his hands before crashing to ground. I reckon Wilson false started though, he put a hand on the ground beyond the start line before the pistol went.

Right now, the grand final sprint with a field of eight runners representing both their AFL and local clubs:

Lane 1: Jeremy Sharp (Fremantle; Attadale Bombers)
Lane 2: Beau McCreery (Collingwood; Cove Cobras)
Lane 3: Will McLachlan (Brisbane; Colac Tigers)
Lane 4: Will Hamill (Adelaide; Balnarring)
Lane 5: Eddie Ford (North Melbourne; Yarraville Seddon Eagles)
Lane 6: Darcy Wilson (St Kilda; Wangaratta Rovers)
Lane 7: Jed McEntee (Port Adelaide; Mitcham Tigers)
Lane 8: Angus Sheldrick (Sydney; Mosman Park)

Q2. 1 min remaining: Sydney 4.3 (27) v Brisbane 10.7 (73) It’s another Grand Final capitulation for Sydney. Fox tries to generate something with a surging run down the wing and a kick to a leading Hayden McLean, but the simple set shot misses. Brisbane go down the other end via a contest with Ashcroft and Neale in the centre square, ending up with Morris having a shot. He, of course, kicks straight for six in a row.

Q2. 3 mins remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) v Brisbane 10.7 (67) Three goals in no time at all! This time it’s Ah Chee again. From another mark at half forward, bombed into the pocket, and he’s there to mark under scrutiny. Goes back and kicks it.

Q2. 4 mins remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) v Brisbane 9.7 (61) Miracle goal! Not for the team that needs one, though. Darcy Fort with the tap in the centre. Big clearance kick to the forward line. Cameron feeds it to Fletcher, to Lohmann hard in the pocket with two Swans on him, but that gives space to Hipwood, who hooks a left-footer with no room to spare and no angle to aim for, but somehow the high kick floats through.

Q2. 4 mins remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) v Brisbane 8.7 (55) The pressure is telling on the Swans. Ashcroft charging forward, misses his shot on the run, but Blakey deep in defence can only find Berry of the Lions with his attempted clearing kick. Berry goes back, 45 degrees on the left, and kicks the long goal with a perfect trajectory on the drop punt.

Q2. 7 mins remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) v Brisbane 7.7 (49) Now it’s Daniher in the ruck! Out-positions Grundy at the centre bounce and hits the long pass by foot. Ah Chee marks steaming out from goal, near the 50. Goes back and drills the long goal! Brisbane running the game this quarter.

Q2. 8 mins remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) v Brisbane 6.7 (43) This time, Daniher gets it! Contested mark about 30 from goal as Cameron hits a centring pass from just outside 50 near the boundary. Marks on his chest and nails the set shot.

Q2. 10 mins remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) v Brisbane 5.7 (37) Daniher thrashing around like a stick blender, lying on the ground by the goal line. Brilliant team defence from Sydney. Odd bounce in the pocket, lands in Daniher’s hands, but two defenders manage to drag him to ground. All he needs is to shovel the ball over with a boot, but can’t get a boot to it. Sydney get the rolling maul going to shove it across the line instead.

Another Brisbane point when Fort misses a set shot, then Lohmann misses for the first time today with a tough shot for the right-footer from the right forward pocket.

Q2. 14 mins remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) v Brisbane 5.3 (33) No idea what’s happened there. Centre bounce, chip to centre half forward, and Zorko has a 50-metre penalty paid against him to Fox.

For what, exactly? Far as I can see, he pulled up a metre short of where the mark was taken. The umpire says he went over. Don’t think so, Fox was on the burst towards the ball and didn’t complete the mark until 55 out. But shoots from right in front.

Q2. 15 mins remaining: Sydney 3.2 (20) v Brisbane 5.3 (33) Hard tackling pressure into the game now, Zorko gets ironed out at half back, Grundy for Sydney almost has a chance to find someone with a kick but gets closed down. And eventually it’s Lachie Neale from half back. Runs with the ball from the arc of 50 towards the wing. Bounce, second bounce, three. Draws Bailey towards him down the wing, who works Dane Rampe under the drop of the ball then spins on his heels, grabs possession and runs away. Long handball forward inside fifty, and who should it be? Lohmann for his third.

Q2. 16 mins remaining: Sydney 3.2 (20) v Brisbane 4.3 (27) Swans with the early push, Warner’s raking snap from outside 50 ends up out of bounds in the forward pocket instead of finding a mark at full forward. Doubles up with a flying shot at goal 20 seconds later but misses. Brisbane take some time to work forward, Sydney take very little to fly back. Grundy, Fox, Hayward, then a kick inside looking for Papley who almost takes a speccy but can’t hang on, mid air, one-handed.

Q1. 1 min remaining: Sydney 3.1 (19) v Brisbane 3.3 (21) Sydney respond now. A tough set shot for Rowbottom, from on the 50 and swerving left to right, but finding its path through the middle after a mark from a good move down the wing.

Q1. 3 mins remaining: Sydney 2.1 (13) v Brisbane 3.3 (21) Callum Ah Chee! The style in the finish. All starts with Will Ashcroft at half back who gets the ball moving through traffic for the Lions. McLuggage finds Daniher in the centre square, kicks to half forward. Blakey for the Swans is coming out of the forward line to mark, and drops his head towards Ah Chee, who crashes into him, hits the ground hard, but bounces up to grab the ground ball and handball to the oncoming McCluggage. Nails it on the run from just inside 50, while Blakey is still staring at the umpire holding his head and asking why a free kick wasn’t paid. Probably because he dropped his head himself.

Q1. 5 mins remaining: Sydney 2.1 (13) v Brisbane 2.3 (15) Luke Parker from about six feet out misses a snap under high pressure. The Lions move forward but get repelled at half back. Sydney do the same, Morris marking and finding Ah Chee on the right flank, who finds Daniher twisting in mid air just inside the boundary. But his round-the-corner shot at goal misses.

Q1. 8 mins remaining: Sydney 2.1 (13) v Brisbane 2.2 (14) Now it’s two in a minute for Lohmann! Talk about impact. The ball fast and flat into the forward line, bouncing free. Everyone gets involved: Daniher taps a loose ball to Ah Chee, who handballs towards Hipwood who finds Lohmann on the move, snapping his second. Lions in front.

Q1. 8 mins remaining: Sydney 2.1 (13) v Brisbane 1.2 (8) Brisbane get away with a lapse, Ryan Lester’s errant kick at half back sent back inside 50, but Starcevich cuts off the move. Lions move back the length of the field, Lester involved again as a kick finds Ah Chee inside 50, who chips a pass to Lohmann off the bench and close to goal. Lohmann nails the set shot to get Brisbane in the game.

Q1. 10 mins remaining: Sydney 2.1 (13) v Brisbane 0.2 (2) Two in a minute! Swans out of the centre, Papley has lost his man in traffic, tracks back inside 50 and is there in the left pocket to pounce on a chance to sneak a second Swans goal on the run.

Q1. 11 mins remaining: Sydney 1.1 (7) v Brisbane 0.2 (2) First goal for the Swans! They get a point before that, James Rowbottom’s hurried snap just sneaking in for a behind. But up on right half back as the Lions try to exit, there’s a tackle and a turnover and the ball is speared back towards Joel Amartey. His legs are taken out by Zorko as he tries to mark, but advantage is paid to Hayward who nails it from the pocket.

Q1. 12 mins remaining: Sydney 0.0 (0) v Brisbane 0.2 (2)

Charlie Cameron in the game early, winning a free kick on the wing for holding the ball. The Lions’ move forward breaks down though. Daniher tries a kick out of the rock after a stoppage but barely makes contact with it. The Swans get down their end.

Q1. 15 mins remaining: Sydney 0.0 (0) v Brisbane 0.2 (2)

Another miss from Brisbane, this time Joe Daniher marking in the left forward pocket, not far in from the 50. He’s kicked plenty of long goals from this spot but like Cameron, starts right and stays right.

Q1. 17 mins remaining: Sydney 0.0 (0) v Brisbane 0.1 (1)

A typically frenetic start, though the ball has zoomed up and back the field a bit more than the classic contested tackling of the first few minutes of a grand final. Charlie Cameron took a big mark under pressure in the first minute but hung his kick out wide to the right expecting it to come back with the wind, and it didn’t.

Thanks Martin. A cold morning in London, where I’ve been watching Australia play cricket, but who wouldn’t want to be up at 5am watching this day of days? Missing Melbourne big time, as it looks a September beauty of the day.

“Right Here, Right Now” by Fatboy Slim is playing. Harris Andrews wins the toss for Brisbane and will kick to the Punt Road end. And off we go.

Back at the MCG we have the Swans great Josh Kennedy delivering the premiership cup to former Sydney skipper Stuart Maxfield and Brisbane’s three-time premiership coach Leigh Matthews. One of that pair will hand the trophy to the captain of the triumphant team in three hours or so.

Uncle Colin Hunter Junior is presenting the Welcome to Country, Cody Simpson belts out the national anthem, and while we take all that in I’ll hand you over to Geoff Lemon for the goal-by-goal, blow-by-blow and minute-by-minute updates as the Swans and Lions clash in the 2024 AFL grand final. #lessssgo

The 46 players are on the field and the 100,000-plus fans are in the stands at the MCG, while we have Mostafa Rachwani roaming around at the Footy Festival in Marrickville:

Swans fans have begun filling out Henson Park for the AFL’s Footy Fan Festival in Sydney, and they say they are quietly confident of a win today. Amid a sausage sizzle and a pumping jumping castle, Swans fans have been setting up shop on the hills of the inner-west oval all afternoon, and are preparing themselves for what they say will be a good day.

Daniel Lund plays for local club the Balmain Tigers, and sitting on his esky, he says he feels “zero nerves.” He adds; “It will either be close or we’ll smash them. We’ve been the best team all year, we just have to pull it together when it counts.”

Ben Jones brought his own picnic chair for the occasion, and Solo in hand, said he was a believer. “I know it’s ironic to say it out loud, but I’m quietly confident.”

Here come the Swans as the Cheer, Cheer spreads around the MCG.

The Lions are the first team to enter the MCG, running out to the familiar tune of La Marseillaise with lyrics pointing to their past as Fitzroy and the Bears, but now very much as the modern-day Brisbane Lions.

While I’m far from an expert on the music and stylings of Katy Perry, I have had a much keener eye on every Sydney (and GWS Giants) home match for the past four seasons. I was even privileged to witness first hand as Brisbane turned on something special in their semi-final victory a couple of weeks ago, and have pulled all those memories and theories together for an in-depth preview of the 2024 AFL grand final.

Here is where the Swans and Lions can each get the job done while also taking away their opposition’s key strengths, as well as a tip for the Norm Smith Medal and which club will claim the premiership cup:

Katy Perry has certainly set the scene for a rollicking finish to the main event in roughly 3.5 hours, as she closes with Firework. Happy to admit Katy’s music isn’t really in my wheelhouse, but that was fun.

Tina Arena brings a local flavour to the stage as Katy Perry leaps into I Kissed a Girl.

Katy Perry perhaps reveals her true colours for the day early as she opens up with her classic Roar. The singer completes a lap of the MCG standing on what traditionalists can only hope is a new and shiny version of the Batmobile.

We’ll have a review of Katy’s performance shortly from Katie Cunningham, but in the meantime send me your thoughts and star ratings on email or X @martinpegan.

Brendan Brown has just followed up on the suggestion doing the rounds that Joe Daniher might be playing in his farewell match: “What do you think about Brian Taylor breaking/leaking the news the news that Joe Daniher may retire after the game tonight? I think it’s not all his place to be announcing such news and considering Taylor’s track record in calling many things in a game wrong I don’t trust it anyway”

My view is that it is fair to report on the news especially as Taylor is far from the first to do so over the past 24 hours around Daniher’s future plans. The Lions key forward is one of the more private players in the AFL, and even after he booted two goals in the last four minutes when his side overran the Giants a couple of weeks ago, he had no interest in speaking to media and instead celebrated by spending quiet time with his family in the rooms.

A little bit of housekeeping to be aware of just in case we – as in the neutrals among us that might actually be able to survive the tension – are fortunate enough to witness the fourth drawn grand final in VFL/AFL history. The Swans and Lions will then play out extra-time for the first time ever in the premiership decider.

That will mean two periods of three minutes – plus time-on – are played with no break as such in between, other than the time it takes for the players to switch ends. If scores are still tied after that first pair of extra-time periods, then another two three-minute periods are played, and so on until a winner is declared.

There was only two points the difference when these sides last met in round 19, and with a pair of evenly-matched outfits taking the field today, it’s probably safe to prepare to drop the classic radio call; “we’ve got the close one”.

This is the first non-Victorian grand final since 2006 (which was the last of the only three premiership deciders to be played without a Victorian club), but the main event on the AFL calendar continues to be played at the MCG. On what is surely the toughest day to present a case for why the grand final should be shared around the country, Nino Bucci and Caitlin Cassidy have done just that:

The Lions are back in familiar surroundings.

The Swans are in the building.

If you’re new to AFL, Australian rules football or (trust me) “footy”, perhaps happy to dip in and out of the action across the season, or just here for Katy Perry and the rest of the pre-match entertainment, then we have the guide for you!

The grand final showdown between the Swans and Lions might be a puzzler for neutrals, casual fans and bandwagon jumpers, but Alex McKinnon helps you decide which team should win the hearts and minds of the undecided masses:

Word coming through for our intrepid reporters at the MCG is that North Melbourne’s Eddie Ford has beaten St Kilda’s Darcy Wilson in the quicker heat of the grand final sprint. Adelaide’s Will Hamill and one of today’s fan favourites, Brisbane’s Will McLachlan, have crossed the line as 1-2 in the other heat. Collingwood’s Beau McCreery, Fremantle’s Jeremy Sharp, Port Adelaide’s Jed McEntee and (either Sydney’s Angus Sheldrick or Western Bulldogs’ Riley Garcia) are also through to the final.

The final will take place at half-time of the main event, with Ford laying down an early marker to perhaps give some joy to long-suffering (men’s team) Kangaroos fans.

Last time they met: Brisbane 11.13 (79) defeated Sydney 11.11 (77)

The grand finalists only met once this season in round 19 at the Gabba but it was enough to set the stage for a gripping return bout at the MCG. The injury-riddled Swans were without captain Callum Mills, James Rowbottom and Justin McInerney, then lost Dane Rampe and Tom Papley before half-time. The Lions opened up a handy early advantage as the Swans made one of their now-trademark slow starts until turning the contest around to edge in front heading into the last term. The lead swung five times in a rollicking final stanza before Lions forward Callum Ah Chee snapped the match-winner with three minutes remaining.

The clubs behind the Lions and Swans have not crossed paths in a VFL/AFL grand final for 125 years, when they were known as Fitzroy Maroons (long before a merger with Brisbane in 1996) and South Melbourne Bloods (ahead of their eventual relocation to Sydney in 1982). Fitzroy won the 1899 decider 3.9 (27) to 3.8 (26) in front of 4,823 fans at Junction Oval.

Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions, in their current guises, have only met in one final when the team in red, maroon and gold won a preliminary final at Stadium Australia en route to completing a three-peat with victory in the 2003 grand final.

Jack Snape digs into the archives to find out more about the last time these clubs met in a decider 125 years ago (conspiracy theories welcome):

Brisbane were forced to swing the one change for the grand final after ruck Oscar McInerney twice dislocated his shoulder in the preliminary final against Geelong. Darcy Fort is the player in the right place at the right time as he takes McInerney’s place for just his third game this season.

The Big O will be seated on the Lions bench after the AFL gave permission for both clubs to have a non-playing player on the sidelines alongside the usual 12 staff members, with Swans skipper Callum Mills to also have a front row seat on their interchange after the heartbreaking call to leave him out of their side.

The 16 clubs not competing today will be looking on in envy, not only at two supreme teams but also at the way that Sydney and Brisbane have been able to build their playing lists. Both the Swans and Lions are reaping the rewards of their academies for talented young footballers, and for what it’s worth – as a Victorian now living behind enemy lines in Sydney – I’ve seen first hand the benefits that they bring for footy more broadly.

Jack Snape has more on the northern academies and how the grand finalists’ football factories have prompted fears of a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ over competitive balance. The (mostly) considered debate in the comments is one worth reading and perhaps even weighing into:

Melbourne is again hosting two interstate clubs: the first decider without a Victorian team since 2006. As if to emphasise the “interstate raider” trope, both teams will be wearing home strips.

The city has been flooded with interstate arrivals. Airlines put on thousands of extra seats, running dozens of additional flights and swapping out Boeing 737s for larger Airbus A330s. Friday was flagged to be Melbourne airport’s busiest day since an army of fans of a certain Taylor (Swift, not Adams) landed earlier this year.

Ben Doherty has more on the two out-of-state teams – and most importantly their fans – returning to their roots:

Everyone’s second favourite event on grand final day is about the take place with the heats of the grand final sprint. Below are our runners for today, with a few hearts no doubt to be in mouths at least among Blues and Tigers fans. Josh Weddle will be carrying the extra burden as the first of my tips for the day.

Adelaide: Will Hamill
Brisbane: Will McLachlan
Carlton: Orazio Fantasia
Collingwood: Beau McCreery
Essendon: Ben Hobbs
Fremantle: Jeremy Sharp
Geelong: Shaun Mannagh
Gold Coast: Tom Berry
GWS Giants: Nathan Wardius (me neither)
Hawthorn: Josh Weddle
Melbourne: Oliver Sestan
North Melbourne: Eddie Ford
Port Adelaide: Jed McEntee
Richmond: Dion Prestia
St Kilda: Darcy Wilson
Sydney: Angus Sheldrick
West Coast: Jai Culley
Western Bulldogs: Riley Garcia

If you thought grand final day was just about the action between 46 players chasing a ball filled with air, I’ve got a pleasant surprise for you!

Here is the run sheet for the next 2.5 hours:

12.15pm: Grand final sprint heats (final at half-time)
1.23pm: Christine Anu Performance
1:26pm: Grand final motorcade
1.33pm: Mike Brady
1.40pm: Katy Perry
2.13pm: Teams walk onto the hallowed turf
2.25pm: Welcome to Country by Uncle Colin Hunter Junior
2.26pm: National anthem performed by Cody Simpson
2.28pm: Coin toss
2.30pm: Game on!

If you aren’t among the 100,000 fans fortunate enough to be at the MCG on grand final day there are at least several other ways to catch all the action from the showdown between Sydney and Brisbane. You’re already at the right place to follow the scores and updates with the Guardian Australia live blog, but you can also watch the game on Channel 7 and its streaming services.

Fans in Sydney can head to the home of the Swans, with the SCG doors to be thrown open from 1.30pm and people able to sit in the Ladies Stand or roll a picnic rug out on the field to watch the game on the big screen (that’s where I was for the 2022 grand final, where the crowd was strangely subdued after about the first 10 minutes of play!). A Footy Festival is already up and running at Henson Park in Marrickville with free entry, Giants AFLW player Georgia Garnett on the decks, and fun activities to entertain the kids before the broadcast of the big game begins.

For those in Brisbane, AFL Queensland are again taking over South Bank Parklands from 1pm for footy clinics, family-friendly activities and a place to watch the grand final.