Grand Final 2026. Fremantle v Brisbane.

[dejavoodoo44]

Well done to Bolton. Five minutes before the end, I was tossing up between him, Young and Serong. After the comeback, I probably would have given it to Dunkley. Some great clearances by Ashcroft late, but for most of the match, Serong was dominating clearances.

[dejavoodoo44]

That is an all time choke from the Wharfie Timers. I think it is apt that was what brought on the choke - they should never allow home ground stuff at a grand final.

I suspect that it lulled them into a false sense of security. In that, they relaxed a bit when they thought that the job was done.

And yes, silly of the AFL to allow it in the first place.

[mcs]

Well done to Bolton. Five minutes before the end, I was tossing up between him, Young and Serong. After the comeback, I probably would have giving it to Dunkley. Some great clearances by Ashcroft late, but for most of the match, Serong was dominating clearances.

He played well - but I don't see in what world he was BOG.

[imuninformedtwo]

My mark against Bolton was his kicking inside 50. Was poor and had some shots he’d often nab. Freo should have won it and that’s where they butchered it.

[imuninformedtwo]

Longmuir looked like he was gonna throw up as he was walking off.

[stevoswan]

Extraordinary win.

dunkley is the only one that can stop an Ashcroft norm threepeat

I thought so too, he had 12 tackles and a couple of amazing smothers plus all his disposals......and yet he didn't receive one vote. WTF?

Norm Smith votes

10 - Shai Bolton, Fremantle - 3,3,2,1,1
6 - Dayne Zorko, Brisbane - 3,3
6 - Will Ashcroft, Brisbane – 3,2,1
4 - Caleb Serong, Fremantle – 2,2
3 - Hayden Young, Fremantle – 2,1
1 - Charlie Cameron, Brisbane –1 Judges votes (3, 2, 1)


Andrew McLeod (chair)
3. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions)
2. Hayden Young (Fremantle)
1. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)

Shaun Burgoyne
3. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions)
2. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
1. Hayden Young (Fremantle)

Chris Judd
3. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
2. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)
1. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane Lions)

Michael Voss
3. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
2. Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
1. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)

Lauren Wood
3. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)
2. Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
1. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)

[Sandridge]

That is an all time choke from the Wharfie Timers. I think it is apt that was what brought on the choke - they should never allow home ground stuff at a grand final.

Completely agree. Do you think they would have been allowed to do that if they'd been playing a Victorian team? Imagine the outrage if they'd been playing Collingwood and were allowed to do Wharfie Time!

[dejavoodoo44]

I thought so too, he had 12 tackles and a couple of amazing smothers plus all his disposals......and yet he didn't receive one vote. WTF?

Norm Smith votes

10 - Shai Bolton, Fremantle - 3,3,2,1,1
6 - Dayne Zorko, Brisbane - 3,3
6 - Will Ashcroft, Brisbane – 3,2,1
4 - Caleb Serong, Fremantle – 2,2
3 - Hayden Young, Fremantle – 2,1
1 - Charlie Cameron, Brisbane –1 Judges votes (3, 2, 1)


Andrew McLeod (chair)
3. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions)
2. Hayden Young (Fremantle)
1. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)

Shaun Burgoyne
3. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions)
2. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
1. Hayden Young (Fremantle)

Chris Judd
3. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
2. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)
1. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane Lions)

Michael Voss
3. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
2. Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
1. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)

Lauren Wood
3. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)
2. Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
1. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)

Dunkley getting no votes seems bizarre to me. Channel 7 just gave him their BOG. It also seems strange that Zorko got 6 votes. Sure, he had plenty of kicks and gained plenty of metres, but a lot of those were kick ins.

[imuninformedtwo]

Dunkley getting no votes seems bizarre to me. Channel 7 just gave him their BOG. It also seems strange that Zorko got 6 votes. Sure, he had plenty of kicks and gained plenty of metres, but a lot of those were kick ins.

It’s criminal re Dunkley. That’s almost as good as defensive a game as ROK in 2012.

[Roadrunner]

Poor Freo- they thought they had it won. It was very close all game and each side had an edge in certain aspects and it was a case of who would happen be in front at the siren. Neither team was obviously better than the other and when at full strength I think we can match both, no probs. That’s my take out of it!
Btw, Jackson was very good and rucked all day- a great effort.

[neilfws]

Grand finals: so much less stressful when it isn't your team. Even more so when it isn't your team being absolutely humiliated.

I reckon the AFL will be pretty happy with that one, a great game for the neutral observer and a tick for the pre-game entertainment!

I thought that by their usual high energy standards the Lions were starting to look a little tired in the last quarter and Freo were almost home...but when you get ahead at that stage, you need to lock it down. Once again the Lions found a way. Which is what the great finals sides do, I guess.

You could see the recoil in Pearce's calf in the slow-motion replay - a real nasty one - I'd suspect the Achilles either snapped or came right off. Best wishes to him for a speedy repair job.

Genuinely surprised as others were by the absence of Dunkley in the votes - before I saw them at the ABC I had him down as a potential winner. I thought he had a fantastic game.

So that's that, until the madness of trading season.

[mcs]

Dunkley getting no votes seems bizarre to me. Channel 7 just gave him their BOG. It also seems strange that Zorko got 6 votes. Sure, he had plenty of kicks and gained plenty of metres, but a lot of those were kick ins.

Zorko was very good in the first half in particular for mine. Had a lot of score involvements and led from the front for a lot of it. I wouldn't quite have put him BOG, but definitely in the top 3 or 4 on the ground for them.

[mcs]

Poor Freo- they thought they had it won. It was very close all game and each side had an edge in certain aspects and it was a case of who would happen be in front at the siren. Neither team was obviously better than the other and when at full strength I think we can match both, no probs. That’s my take out of it!
Btw, Jackson was very good and rucked all day- a great effort.

They erred by picking that yankee doodle instead of someone half useful instead. When you have a ruck at the peak of their powers like Jackson, just don't bother with a relief like Cox.

[stevoswan]

Btw, Jackson was very good and rucked all day- a great effort.

Yeah, they probably shouldn't have picked Mason Cox.....in the wet he was largely ineffective.

I actually suspect he may have played his last AFL game today.

[Industrial Fan]

I thought so too, he had 12 tackles and a couple of amazing smothers plus all his disposals......and yet he didn't receive one vote. WTF?

Norm Smith votes

10 - Shai Bolton, Fremantle - 3,3,2,1,1
6 - Dayne Zorko, Brisbane - 3,3
6 - Will Ashcroft, Brisbane – 3,2,1
4 - Caleb Serong, Fremantle – 2,2
3 - Hayden Young, Fremantle – 2,1
1 - Charlie Cameron, Brisbane –1 Judges votes (3, 2, 1)


Andrew McLeod (chair)
3. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions)
2. Hayden Young (Fremantle)
1. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)

Shaun Burgoyne
3. Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions)
2. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
1. Hayden Young (Fremantle)

Chris Judd
3. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
2. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)
1. Charlie Cameron (Brisbane Lions)

Michael Voss
3. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
2. Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
1. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)

Lauren Wood
3. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)
2. Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
1. Shai Bolton (Fremantle)

So funny to me that Judd was on the panel and gave three votes to Bolton. Ashcroft won the game for the lions, but Dunkley kept them in it - he was a man possessed.