Ty Gallop celebrates during the Preliminary Final between Collingwood and Brisbane at the MCG, September 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

FOR THE third time in as many years Brisbane will feature in the final Saturday in September.

The Lions booked their place in this year’s Grand Final with a thrilling 29-point win over Collingwood in Saturday night’s preliminary final in front of a huge crowd of 96,023.

MAGPIES V LIONS All the highlights and stats
MATCH REPORT Lions roar into Grand Final after proving too good for Pies
ANALYSIS The 15-minute period where it all went wrong for Pies
DEFINING MOMENT The single act of desperation that sums up Brisbane’s season
CHRIS FAGAN Neale pushing for remarkable return, wait and see on Berry
CRAIG MCRAE Pies ‘won’t stand still’ in bid to improve, wait on veteran pair’s contract calls

It was a see-sawing affair, with the gutsy Lions wrestling back the momentum after Collingwood kicked six unanswered goals in the second quarter.

It was the Lions’ stars who inserted themselves in the second half that proved the difference, Cam Rayner and Will Ashcroft both kicking two goals in the third quarter to give the Lions the lead at the final break.

From there, Brisbane kicked four goals to Collingwood’s two in the fourth quarter to hold on to the lead and win 15.10 (100) to 11.5 (71) at the MCG.

Brisbane midfielders Hugh McCluggage (37 disposals, 10 clearances) and Zac Bailey (21 disposals, two goals) dominated across the ground, including inside 50 where Bailey scored his two majors from stoppages.

Fifth-gamer Ty Gallop was the unlikely leading goalkicker for his team, the tall forward booting three goals, whilst Rayner, Ashcroft and Bailey were the other multiple goal scorers with two each.

Darcy Wilmot was outstanding in defence with 25 disposals, nine intercept possessions and eight marks. The defender’s ability to win one-on-ones and shift the Lions’ defence to attack was outstanding.

From here, Brisbane will now face Geelong in the Grand Final for the first time in AFL/VFL history.

Heartbreakingly the Lions could be without midfielder Jarrod Berry who was subbed out of the game in the second quarter after dislocating his shoulder in a tackle.

There were a number of injury scares for the reigning premiers with Josh Dunkley and livewire forward Kai Lohman also leaving the ground and going down into the rooms with injury concerns. Both players were able to return to the game.

But there was no injury bigger than a suspected calf strain to Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury who was subbed out of his 425th game in the first five minutes.

The 37-year-old veteran left the ground with calf tightness without touching the ball and was replaced in the side by Roan Steele.

The injury was part of a frenetic start deserving of a preliminary final, with nerves and pressure at a maximum.

After the Magpies slotted the first goal of the game through cult hero Mason Cox, the Lions settled and put through four of their own to lead by 20 points at the first break.

Brisbane dominated possession in the opening quarter with 50 more disposals and 25 more marks as it controlled the play.

But as they always do, the Magpies fought back and flipped the game on its head in the second quarter, led by small forwards Jamie Elliott, Lachie Schultz and Pat Lipinski. 

Former Saint Tim Membrey also played his role, settling after not touching the ball in the opening term. The tall forward kicked two in the second to give Collingwood the lead at half-time.

But after the main break, the Lions showed why they are the reigning premiers as their class lifted them again to another level.

Elliott tried his best for the Pies, kicking two third-quarter goals and taking an absolute screamer in one of the highlights of the match, if not the year.

But it was the spread of Brisbane’s talent that overshadowed Collingwood in the final quarter, with the Lions securing their win with four goals to the Magpies’ two in the last term.

Young Lion Gallops into finals
You would have never known that Saturday night’s preliminary final was only Ty Gallop’s fifth game. The 19-year-old key forward played the best game of his short career, putting together a three-goal performance on the big stage. Gallop made his way into the side in the final round of the home and away season, replacing Eric Hipwood who injured his knee. Since then he has played all three finals, showing improvement week-on-week. The 194cm key forward was a focal point for the Lions inside 50, taking a game-high three contested marks, laying four tackles and kicking a team-high three goals straight.

Berry in doubt
Lions’ midfielder Jarrod Berry left the ground in the second quarter in extreme pain after seemingly dislocating his left shoulder. It’s the same shoulder the hard-nut injured in round 23 against Fremantle. After the round 23 injury, Berry missed the following game and then had the pre-finals bye, before returning to the line-up for the qualifying final against the Cats, meaning it took two weeks for the 27-year-old to return to match fitness. Given that, it will be a close watch to see if Berry can get up for the Grand Final.

Jarrod Berry after the Preliminary Final between Collingwood and Brisbane at the MCG, September 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Veteran’s miserable moment
We all thought that Scott Pendlebury was unbreakable. In Saturday’s final, the 37-year-old lasted less than five minutes before leaving the ground with calf tightness. The Collingwood games-record holder was subbed out immediately, without having any impact on the game. Pendlebury played 21 games this season and didn’t seem to be slowing down, but this afternoon’s injury showed us that he is in fact human after all.

Scott Pendlebury during the Preliminary Final between Collingwood and Brisbane at the MCG, September 20, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

COLLINGWOOD     1.1   7.1    9.4   11.5 (71)
BRISBANE             4.3   4.6   11.9   15.10 (100)

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 4, Membrey 2, Cox 2, Schultz, Lipinski, Houston 
Brisbane: Gallop 3, Bailey 2, Rayner 2, W. Ashcroft 2, Dunkley, Morris, McCluggage, Cameron, Lohman, Zorko

BEST
Collingwood: N. Daicos, J. Daicos, Elliott, Sidebottom, Cox
Brisbane: McCluggage, Bailey, Wilmont, Ashcroft, Zorko

INJURIES
Collingwood: Scott Pendlebury (calf)
Brisbane: Jarrod Berry (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Roan Steele (replaced Scott Pendlebury in the first quarter)
Brisbane: Bruce Reville (replaced Jarrod Berry in the second quarter)

Crowd: 96,023 at the MCG