Australian Rules-Brisbane hold off Fremantle in thriller to win third straight AFL Grand Final

Sept 26 - The Brisbane Lions clawed their way to a third successive Australian Football League premiership on Saturday, overcoming the Fremantle Dockers by seven points in a Grand Final thriller before a crowd of 100,023 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Forwards Logan Morris and Charlie Cameron combined for six goals to help the Lions to a 14.12 (96) - 12.17 (89) win and complete the club's second three-peat, emulating their 2001-03 dynasty.

The game came down to the wire, with Brisbane nailing four goals in the final four minutes to overhaul Fremantle's 17-point advantage. Morris ensured the Lions edged ahead in the final 60 seconds, kicking truly after taking a strong contested mark to give Brisbane the lead and subsequently icing the game with a snap from 40 metres.

In the first half, ladder-toppers Fremantle - contesting their first Grand Final since 2013 - were not overawed by the occasion and forced the back-to-back defending champions into over-possession and risky corridor play, although nothing separated the teams on the scoreboard with 43 apiece.

Command shifted to the Dockers during the third quarter, but a leg injury to captain Alex Pearce left a void in their back-line, which the Lions capitalised on with three straight majors.

Working their way back from 10 points down at the final break, Brisbane showed their experience as they weathered the storm to earn their sixth title in the top-flight of Australian Rules football, denying Fremantle their first AFL premiership. REUTERS