The Brisbane Lions have cemented their place in AFL history, clinching back-to-back premierships with a commanding victory over the Geelong Cats in the 2025 AFL Grand Final.

In front of a packed crowd of over 100,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Lions overcame a tight first half to unleash a second-half blitz, running away to a 18.14 (122) to 11.9 (75) victory. The win marks Brisbane’s fifth AFL-era premiership and their 13th title overall, including Fitzroy's history.

The match began as a tense and hard-fought contest between two of the century's most dominant clubs. In a remarkable statistical anomaly, the scores were tied at halftime, an occurrence not seen in a grand final since 1909. However, any hope of a nail-biting finish was extinguished after the main break. Brisbane emerged from the rooms with ferocious intensity, breaking the deadlock with a third-quarter surge that left the Cats struggling to respond. The Lions continued their dominance in the final term, extending their lead to a decisive 47 points by the final siren.

The story of the match was dominated by Brisbane's young superstar Will Ashcroft, who made history by winning the Norm Smith Medal for a second consecutive year. He joins Adelaide Crows legend Andrew McLeod as the only players to achieve the feat. Ashcroft was instrumental in the Lions' victory, collecting 32 disposals, 10 clearances, four marks, and a goal in a best-on-ground performance.

Adding to the drama, the Lions' midfield was bolstered by the courageous return of Lachie Neale. Sidelined with a recent calf injury, the veteran was activated as the substitute in the third quarter and made an immediate and significant impact, helping to fuel the team’s decisive surge.

The grand final day began with a festival atmosphere, with pre-game entertainment headlined by American rapper Snoop Dogg, who performed alongside Australian artists Baker Boy, Tash Sultana, Emma Donovan, and Kee'ahn.

Despite the crushing defeat, Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield was widely praised for delivering a gracious and classy runner-up speech, commending the Lions on their historic achievement. With their consecutive flags, the Brisbane Lions join a select group of clubs to have won back-to-back premierships in the 21st century, firmly establishing their current era of dominance.