Lions secure a hat-trick at the 'G
The Brisbane Lions have claimed a third consecutive AFL premiership, completing one of the great Grand Final comebacks to defeat Fremantle by 7 points, 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89), in front of 100,023 at the MCG.
With Fremantle leading by 17 points with under five minutes to play, Brisbane kicked four unanswered goals to complete an extraordinary turnaround. The result completes an historic three-peat for the Lions, making them only the second club to win multiple three-peats in VFL/AFL history (Melbourne; 1939-1941 and 1955-1957).
Will Ashcroft was again at his brilliant best, finishing with 31 disposals including 12 in a stunning final term, while Logan Morris booted two crucial last-quarter goals to cement his status as one of the competition's best young key forwards.
Fremantle's Shai Bolton was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for best afield, the first player to win the award in a losing Grand Final since Chris Judd in 2005.
Earlier in the day, Melbourne-born pop icon Kylie Minogue lit up the stage during the Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment alongside a star-studded lineup of Australian artists.
The 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final was the most watched on record, drawing an average audience of over 4.52 million and reaching over 6.5 million across the Seven Network and 7plus.
The Grand Final caps off a massive month at the MCG, which included the AFL's first-ever Wildcard Finals and the first regular season NFL game in Australia. In total, 467,307 fans attended the five Toyota AFL Finals Series matches played at the MCG, with the venue also hosting 100,021 fans for an NFL match during the series.
2026 Toyota AFL Finals Series matches at the MCG
| Event | Result | Crowd |
|---|---|---|
| Wildcard Final – Western Bulldogs v Collingwood, Friday August 28 | Western Bulldogs 14.12 (96) defeated Collingwood 14.9 (93) | 81,036 |
| Wildcard Final – Carlton v Melbourne, Saturday August 29 | Carlton 10.14 (74) defeated Melbourne 7.13 (55) | 91,733 |
| Elimination Final – Geelong Cats v Carlton, Friday September 4 | Geelong Cats 14.23 (107) defeated Carlton 11.8 (74) | 96,680 |
| Preliminary Final – Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, Saturday September 19 | Brisbane Lions 20.11 (131) defeated Hawthorn 19.8 (122) | 97,835 |
| Grand Final – Brisbane Lions v Fremantle, Saturday September 26 | Brisbane Lions 14.12 (96) defeated Fremantle 12.17 (89) | 100,023 |
Celebrate the Brisbane Lions' 2026 Premiership
The Lions have done it again. Celebrate Brisbane’s historic three-peat with the official 2026 Premiers range, including tees, caps, can coolers and more. Shop the Premiership collection online now at the MCG Shop while stocks last.
