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Final Siren: Inside the AFL - Season 1 - Episode 04: Back to Back
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00:02It's been an absorbing contest so far.
00:05It's a magic night for Queensland football.
00:09Oh yeah, hit the deck, hit the deck, hit the deck.
00:12It's the second semi-final.
00:14The winner to take on Collingwood in the prelim.
00:17Here we go, here we go.
00:18Let's go, let's go.
00:19And this is to give Gold Coast the lead again.
00:23It's a big goal for Gold Coast.
00:25Oh my God!
00:28That's a good footy winner.
00:31Couldn't have started better, the Suns.
00:34No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:39We're gonna do a dice now, yeah?
00:40Yeah.
00:41Playing Brisbane in a semi-final with an opportunity to send them home.
00:47If we win this, this will be the greatest win of all time.
00:50Here come the big boys, and they move it well here.
00:53The Gold Coast.
00:54I'm feeling it, like the boys are feeling it.
00:56Taylor, Taylor!
00:58Crowd's into it.
00:59So now Miller, very high ball.
01:01There's just all these things that we've been working on all year.
01:04They are winning all the early battles, Gold Coast.
01:07We're dialled in right at that time.
01:09Side 50 again.
01:10He runs it in front of Gardner.
01:13He's gone, he's gone.
01:16Round four goal, magnificent.
01:19Right away.
01:20Right away, right away.
01:22Come on.
01:22Zorko gonna just slow it down a little here.
01:25That shows our time to go to this.
01:27We just were half a step off.
01:29Which, you know, maybe in a home and away game, you get away with.
01:32But in a final, you don't get away with that.
01:34Dunkley won and gave it to Rainer.
01:37Misses.
01:37Don't often see him make errors like that.
01:41Cam Rainer.
01:42He just didn't turn up.
01:43Through his fingers it goes.
01:50The one thing that has never been an issue that this football club is telling us.
01:53There's a reason you get the honour of wearing this jumper, because you can play the game.
01:57Forget the noise.
01:58Forget the traffic around you.
02:00You've got to sit there and understand, this is a game that is well and truly still winnable for us.
02:05We should be really, really excited about the opportunity that presents ourselves.
02:09Let's get it done.
02:10Let's go.
02:10Let's go.
02:16Alright, here we go.
02:18The Brisbane Lions looking to bounce back.
02:22Cam Rainer.
02:23He's got to have a cracking game here tonight for Brisbane's sake.
02:27Rainer absolutely superb in the middle.
02:30I think the first half I was a little bit off.
02:31I just couldn't really get involved.
02:33Drew's got to fly now.
02:34He's in trouble.
02:35Rainer just straight lined the footy.
02:37Shook him off.
02:39Drilling ball.
02:40One on one.
02:41Did it get over the front?
02:42That's it.
02:43Win back.
02:43It's a goal.
02:45The second half was when I started to play my footy.
02:48Brisbane's guns getting to work.
02:50Having never played finals, I started to realise that the energy of last week was hard to replicate.
02:57Hands to it.
02:58No, Mark.
02:59And you're versed in the rainy premiers.
03:01Bailey, you know the rest.
03:03They're good for a reason.
03:08And they definitely showed us, like, why they're good.
03:13Off to Rainer, who thought about giving it back.
03:17Wow.
03:18And he can't tackle, can't Rainer?
03:20He just refuses to be tackled.
03:22They're charging forward.
03:24Archie runs to 50.
03:26He has a look.
03:27It is right across the face.
03:29And right.
03:32Brisbane kicking away.
03:34Big brother showed little brother very clearly.
03:37Who stands where in the picking room.
03:42Brisbane are still the kings of Queensland football.
03:46They are into yet another preliminary final.
03:54So not the night that Gold Coast had hoped for.
03:57Awesome moment.
04:00I've been chasing a goal for so long that you almost don't know what to feel.
04:08How can you have put so much effort into a season and had so many good moments to not make
04:17it right at the death?
04:20It sucks.
04:21It sucks.
04:27It worked so hard.
04:29You know, for what we tried to achieve and what we wanted to get out of the season.
04:34The reality is it ends today, which is fucking tough.
04:40Unfortunately, in one of our biggest days, we didn't quite play.
04:42It's the level that we know we can.
04:45It's good.
04:46It's going to fucking hurt.
04:47It's going to hurt for a period of time.
04:49Because you fucking get so close.
04:51Now you've got to go back to the start and do it all again.
04:54We're not happy with good.
04:55We've got to get to great.
04:56And so it's to be uncomfortable.
04:58Because that's what's going to spark our rise.
05:11Oh, man.
05:12I wasn't ready to polish it.
05:14But it is what it is.
05:16I've just got to fucking move on.
05:18It's so much work to get to this point.
05:20And I'm like, oh, my God.
05:21It should be over and, like, a flash-up.
05:24Mmm.
05:25I'm telling you.
05:26Okay, you done.
05:27The Gold Coast Suns are capable of doing something special in season 2026.
05:44We played really well.
05:45And from that, it generates confidence.
05:50We need to bottle that up and bring it again next week against Collingwood.
05:57Hey, not over yet.
06:00We go again.
06:02We're playing in a preliminary final.
06:04Like, it's game on.
06:21The Q Clash, the third version for this year,
06:24was 1-1 leading into the weekend.
06:25But the bigger brother, they flexed their muscle again
06:28and came out big winners.
06:29Gold Coast, they started well.
06:31Everything was going in for them.
06:33But finals guarantees nothing.
06:34One mistake could destroy any chance of winning the grand final.
06:38Yeah, it's good effort.
06:39They're four prelims in a row, so they've been a resuming team.
06:42Seven final series in a row.
06:43Oh, so I'll be Demons.
06:44So you're Richmond.
06:45No, I'm Demons too.
06:47So Demons v Demons.
06:49Brisbane are playing good.
06:51The chemistry is phenomenal.
06:54See you later.
06:55Good to see you.
06:57Brisbane, the pressure was fantastic.
07:00They came and they meant business.
07:02Brisbane winning more of those one-on-one contests,
07:04their pressure's consistently high.
07:06I do think that the best teams are able to do that.
07:12I've been here before, actually.
07:13It's awesome.
07:14Yeah, I've been here.
07:15You know, in all of Brisbane,
07:16what they've been able to do the last three years,
07:18game after game, year after year,
07:21you're, like, just watching the footy
07:22and sort of wishing it was you.
07:23I mean, you're just jealous, I guess.
07:36We're now down to the final four
07:37in the race of the 2025 AFL season premiership.
07:41We are one game closer
07:42than going on and playing in a grand final.
07:44Collingwood will be sitting there thinking,
07:46OK, we're going to have to be right on
07:48on Saturday night to beat...
07:49Got a little bit banged up on the weekend.
07:51Hurt my foot a little bit.
07:52Given my age, I was very concerned.
07:55Felt as though my body's failed me.
07:56But being able to play the game out
07:58with some painkillers
07:59was obviously a really good result.
08:03As the oldest player to play 300 games
08:05in what I would argue
08:06is one of the most taxing sports.
08:10Man, you were hitting some bullets on the weekend.
08:11Yeah, I was kicking well.
08:15Let's get this body fucking tuned.
08:19Physically, my body is in horrible shape.
08:22And I can normally, like, press it too.
08:24Yeah, check it out.
08:25Like, right there.
08:26So now, is it moving in anywhere at the moment?
08:28Well, I'm pressing in, it hurts.
08:30OK, come on now.
08:30Yep.
08:32Tune-up time!
08:34Earlier this year,
08:35I sort of just rolled my foot a little bit
08:37and we discovered an extra bone in my foot
08:39that's just got a little bit of fluid sitting in it.
08:41Feels like just that left foot
08:43and that right heel.
08:46Which seems to be getting worse.
08:49OK, we're going to go face down.
08:50Right heel, not good.
08:54OK.
08:54Really.
08:55For eight weeks now,
08:56I haven't been able to run.
08:57Yeah.
09:01Let's get this one.
09:05Oh, man.
09:06As you get older,
09:07everyone tells you,
09:08ah, yeah, you know,
09:09that's age,
09:09that's going to get you.
09:10And I don't really use that as an excuse.
09:12Can you do some more heel-toes?
09:13Heel-toes, just let's bring it out a bit more.
09:18You just have to deal with it.
09:20There it is.
09:21We're playing against Collingwood.
09:23Look, there's a grand final on the line.
09:25Nothing's going to stop you from playing.
09:26All right.
09:27Pull time, recovery.
09:29Yep.
09:29And then go and smash him.
09:31Yep.
09:32For Dane, Zorko,
09:33just one of the greatest players
09:35coming into the 2025 season,
09:36he still doesn't have a contract.
09:42Usually when you're 36,
09:43you don't get offered another contract.
09:46It's not beyond the realms of possibility
09:47that the Brisbane Lions
09:48get to the end of the year
09:49and say,
09:50hey, you've had a great career for us.
09:52We're going to move on.
09:57It's always the first question
09:58at a press conference is,
09:59you're 36 when you're retiring,
10:01when are you going to hang them up?
10:03I am aware that I am
10:04at the back end of my career
10:05and I can't play forever.
10:09But I don't feel like I'm 36 years old.
10:25The game against the Gold Coast,
10:28for us to be able to try
10:29and get that Hunter's mindset back
10:31was important for the team.
10:32Annie, come on.
10:35For me personally,
10:36I'd be lying if I said
10:37it hasn't been difficult,
10:38there's been ups and downs
10:39that I'd been struggling with
10:40and not starting games well
10:42and first half,
10:43I just couldn't really get involved.
10:44Felt like I was fading in
10:45and out of the game.
10:48That's the storyline of my career.
10:50There's times where
10:51you can play two or three
10:52really good games
10:53and you can feel like
10:53you're back to your best
10:54but then drop with a performance
10:55the following week.
10:56It's been really tough
10:57trying to figure our way through that.
11:01I'd be lying here if I said I wasn't.
11:03Still think about the game
11:04about the last couple of days
11:05and, you know,
11:06like those emotions.
11:07It can be taxing
11:08and it can take a little bit
11:09of a zap out of you.
11:10Get up.
11:12Help.
11:15Being able to come out here
11:16and just be with them
11:17and get your mind off footy
11:18and just everything really,
11:20like you can spend,
11:21you know,
11:21four or five hours with them
11:22without even realising
11:23they've done anything.
11:27Kevin!
11:30We all judge the best players
11:32in the game
11:33in big moments.
11:35Cam Rayner hasn't shown
11:36his best in the big moments
11:37and so the criticisms
11:39of inconsistency
11:41become louder.
11:43Here you go, guys.
11:44I'll come back and grab it after.
11:46He's under a little bit
11:46of pressure, Cam.
11:47When you have those performances
11:48that somewhat, you know,
11:50don't resemble the way
11:51you know you can play,
11:52you do have your doubts.
11:53J-Lo, did you have the sheet?
11:55But I think as athletes
11:56you have to have that doubt.
11:58It drives you.
11:59It keeps that fire burning inside.
12:01And I found this out
12:02very early in my career.
12:04I was a little bit
12:05of a late bloomer.
12:06Most of the players
12:07that get drafted,
12:08you know, 18, 19-year-olds,
12:10recruiters just went
12:11through six foot five,
12:13built well.
12:15I was a little bit small.
12:16That was definitely
12:17one of the reasons
12:18as to why they didn't draft me.
12:19I thought I was better
12:20than some of the players
12:21that were going around
12:22and I just needed an opportunity
12:23to prove that.
12:25And then for the next
12:26four years,
12:27just overlooked
12:27and essentially dominating
12:29in the Queensland League.
12:30That sucked.
12:31That hurt.
12:32I could really be
12:33at the top level.
12:33Like, what the hell?
12:34Come on.
12:35Are you blind?
12:37I got drafted
12:38when I was 22.
12:39Brisbane Lions
12:40took a chance on me
12:42but being overlooked
12:44for four years,
12:44I was pissed off.
12:46There's no doubt about it.
12:47I made my debut
12:48against Collingwood
12:48in round seven.
12:51Came on as a sub
12:51at half time
12:53early in my career.
12:54I was really dirty.
12:55Going Zorko's
12:56come onto the ground,
12:57boys.
12:57He's nearly their best
12:58midfielder
12:58in about five minutes
12:59of football.
13:01I wanted to prove
13:02all these other teams wrong.
13:08So look out.
13:09Steven Moe and Zorko
13:10in back play.
13:11I was like,
13:11they just don't fucking rate me.
13:12They don't rate me.
13:13These coaches don't rate me.
13:14Zorko.
13:15Another goal to Zorko.
13:21It was Farrell
13:23with a heavy bump
13:23by Zorko.
13:26Even now,
13:27I'm 14 years in,
13:28I'm always looking
13:29to push the boundary
13:30and that line
13:31is close to the edge
13:32before it tips over.
13:34So it's always
13:35a balancing act
13:36trying to get it right.
13:47The stage is set
13:48for a preliminary
13:49final showdown
13:51between Collingwood
13:52and the Brisbane Lions.
13:53Two teams playing
13:54for a spot
13:55in the big dance.
13:57The winner,
13:57this one,
13:57to play the Cats
13:58in the grand final
13:59here next Saturday.
14:01Going back to back
14:02is huge in AFL footy
14:04if you can do it.
14:05But thinking about that,
14:06isn't going to get
14:07the job done.
14:08They've beaten us
14:09in the grand final.
14:11Collingwood win
14:12the grand final!
14:13They're a very good team.
14:17There is no greater
14:18challenge, I think,
14:19in our game
14:20than to play
14:21at the MCG
14:22in a final
14:24against Collingwood.
14:26The crowd,
14:28the hostility.
14:31The Olympic finals
14:32are separated by stars.
14:33There's no doubt about that.
14:35For me,
14:35it might be Cam Reiner.
14:38If he's playing
14:39his best footy,
14:40Cam Reiner
14:41can change the momentum
14:42of a game.
14:44The challenge for Cam
14:45is to compartmentalise
14:46and put the distractions
14:47to the side.
14:50So it comes down to this.
14:52The two most recent
14:53premiers
14:53get it underway.
14:55The game is on.
14:59Here's a chance
14:59for the Lions
15:00on the chart.
15:01Cameron with speed.
15:01Terrific handball
15:02towards Reiner.
15:03Can someone tackle it
15:04and took two?
15:06Get him,
15:07get him.
15:08Another turnover.
15:10Cam Reiner
15:11fumbles his Lions.
15:14He's looking at Cam Reiner.
15:15We know that he plays
15:16in first.
15:17But they have to get him
15:18involved and feeling good
15:19about himself.
15:20Has not had a kick.
15:21Nick.
15:22They have 30 out.
15:23Mason Cox will fly.
15:25Runs into Zorko.
15:26Yeah, that's a free kick.
15:28Mason Cox
15:29dropped the mark.
15:31Flat kick.
15:32It's a goal.
15:33The players get that in.
15:34Zorko and Cox
15:36go toe to toe.
15:38Prelim finals.
15:39They're fierce.
15:40Mason has an uncanny
15:41ability to do that
15:42after every time
15:43he kicks a goal.
15:44And I knew he was
15:44going to come at me.
15:47What are you going to do?
15:49Are you going to stand
15:50there and get bowled over
15:51or are you going to fight?
15:52And Zorko tried
15:53to take the glasses off.
15:55Look at that.
15:56It took a bit of skin
15:57as well.
15:57He's had a go at them.
16:00And there's just a touch
16:01of blood here early.
16:03And Dane Zorko
16:04in the middle of it all.
16:06I think Zorko can be
16:07one of the biggest
16:08villains in the AFL.
16:09Hopefully he can shift
16:10the momentum a little bit
16:11and change it up.
16:13Yeah, I'd love to hear
16:14what Zork said.
16:16Another easy mark drop.
16:18Reina to Zorko.
16:20The skill error is mounting.
16:21Got pushed as I kicked
16:22and stuffed the kick up.
16:24Blake getting rid of it.
16:25Maitek handball over the top.
16:27Jamie Elliott running
16:28to an open goal.
16:30They got a goal
16:30very next play.
16:34A really scratchy start.
16:35A little opportunity here.
16:38Is it going?
16:40Collingwood's starting to
16:42awaken the crowd here.
16:44Locky short for three in a row
16:46for the back play.
16:47Second quarter,
16:48they've hit three goals
16:49straight away
16:49and I've just gone,
16:51oh my God,
16:51what the fuck?
16:53This is not good.
16:54It is now all on Collingwood's terms.
16:58It's Cam Reiner.
16:59Just the one handball
17:00now on the bench
17:01when he comes back.
17:02Got to get him into the game.
17:03They may be out anyway
17:04if they don't get a move along here.
17:09So a half left
17:10in this prelim final.
17:12Three teams left,
17:13one cup.
17:14In the first half,
17:15I felt like I essentially
17:16let my team down.
17:18Yeah, third quarter,
17:19I was just like,
17:20fuck, well,
17:22you're not going to have
17:22another bad period like that.
17:24He's his way through.
17:25Shultz heard the call,
17:26gave it off.
17:27There's a few of them.
17:39Yeah, I had a couple of touches
17:40to just sort of
17:41build me back up again.
17:42There is one straight kick
17:43separating them.
17:44Make it maybe more than that.
17:46That's the best thing
17:47we've ever seen.
17:48Got those goals back
17:49for our team
17:50that sort of gave
17:51and we just sort of
17:52held that margin
17:53for the rest of the game.
18:00One of the most proud
18:01of performances
18:02for the year.
18:03There it is!
18:05Brisbane
18:05into another grand final!
18:08No down, no out,
18:10but they're Brisbane again!
18:11The back-to-back dream
18:12is still alive!
18:15It's a long await.
18:17We've got the two powerhouses
18:18of the competition
18:19that are just going
18:20to go head to head.
18:21It's going to be
18:22some sort of clash.
18:26Adventure of Dane Zorko
18:28leading this
18:29magnificent bridge
18:30Brisbane team
18:31they know
18:32what this week
18:32is all about.
18:34You hop in there as well.
18:36No, what do you want
18:37for the photo?
18:38Photo!
18:38Photo!
18:39Oh, God!
18:41Grails on!
18:42Heading into the grand final
18:43Geelong are the favourites
18:45not just because
18:46they've been
18:47one of the best teams
18:48this season
18:49because of what had
18:50happened only
18:51weeks earlier.
18:52Smith!
18:53Have a listen to this!
18:57They absolutely smashed
18:59us in the qualifying
18:59final.
19:00The Geelong Football Club
19:01march into their
19:0314th,
19:04Whelan!
19:04But
19:05you learn a lot more
19:06from your defeats
19:07than you do from your wins.
19:09We as a team
19:09don't want to stop it
19:10playing in two grand finals.
19:12We want to win more.
19:14Can we do that?
19:15That's the challenge.
19:30I find it hard to watch games
19:35after I've played.
19:41The first half I was a little bit off.
19:45Not that I was getting tagged,
19:46it was more
19:47I just wasn't really putting myself
19:48in good positions
19:49to get the ball.
19:53You know,
19:54the output that I felt like
19:54I could give to the team,
19:55I wasn't giving it,
19:56so it was obviously
19:57really hard for me.
19:59When I was younger,
19:59if I had a bad first half,
20:01I'd kind of go in at half-time
20:02and go like,
20:02oh, well, my game's cooked now,
20:04I haven't really done anything.
20:05So I used to just
20:06get really low on myself
20:07and it took me a little bit
20:08of time to understand
20:09that the highs and lows of AFL
20:10can be through the roof
20:11and the main thing
20:12is try to keep it
20:13as even-headed as you can.
20:14That mindset,
20:15that wasn't something
20:16that came natural for me at all.
20:18There's times
20:19where we've got to learn
20:19these lessons,
20:20but you can't keep learning
20:21about for gambling.
20:277.37, Dad.
20:29I think it's 7.42
20:30when I just checked,
20:31just said,
20:32right?
20:34Switch that pot all,
20:35all right?
20:37I'm so grateful
20:38that we're able to play
20:39in another grand final.
20:40It's used me goosebumps
20:40now talking about it,
20:41thinking about it.
20:42Do they have food
20:42at the gate?
20:44We've obviously tasted
20:45the ultimate success
20:46last year.
20:48I don't want another team
20:49to feel that.
20:49I want all that to myself
20:50and my teammates
20:51to feel that.
20:53My tendencies,
20:54especially out on the field,
20:55can become quite selfish.
20:58Show me.
20:59Show me what you can do.
21:01Go.
21:02Whoa!
21:04Good job.
21:05Having children,
21:07it was really like
21:08just a light bulb moment.
21:09Go, Zell,
21:10I'll throw it to you.
21:11Ready?
21:13Oh, once I understood
21:16you're not the most
21:17important person anymore,
21:18that was something
21:19that I could then
21:19bring into my game.
21:21Are you going backwards?
21:22You've got to go backwards,
21:23Benny,
21:24steady, go!
21:25As a leader
21:26and to be a better person
21:27as well.
21:29Oh, look at Lewis,
21:29he's catching us.
21:31They're coming!
21:32He loves the club
21:33and the team.
21:34He really is
21:35like a brotherhood
21:36and a family for him.
21:37They come home
21:38from an eight or nine
21:39hour day together
21:40and they're messaging
21:41each other non-stop
21:42at home.
21:42I'm like,
21:43what could you possibly
21:43have to talk about
21:44to each other?
21:45You've just seen each
21:45other all day long.
21:48We didn't go into
21:49the season thinking
21:49that this would be
21:50his last.
21:52He has said,
21:53like, you know,
21:53if they'll have me,
21:55I'm going to keep going.
22:01Everyone's replaceable.
22:02Your time will come
22:02where you're no longer
22:03required at the club
22:04or forced into a time
22:05and that's something
22:06that, you know,
22:07it's actually hard
22:09to deal with.
22:11I want to earn my spot.
22:12I want to make sure
22:13that I can keep
22:14influencing my teammates
22:15and helping them
22:16as much as I can.
22:18For now,
22:19it's nice,
22:19but no,
22:20it's not going to be forever.
22:29Numbers and champion data
22:31show the Cats
22:32are far and away
22:33the best side.
22:34He'll get,
22:34I kind of come to him
22:35again and he'll get tagged,
22:37so I think that
22:38Rayner matchup
22:39is pretty cool.
22:39Yeah, so how can you
22:40manipulate those?
22:41Going into the grand final
22:42against Geelong,
22:43I'm concerned about
22:45thinking about a way
22:46to try and break that tag.
22:48If anything,
22:48that's still in front of my mind.
22:50Cam Rayner,
22:51who's had a quiet night.
22:52That first game,
22:53I probably tried to do it
22:54a little bit by myself.
22:55Cam Rayner,
22:56we can't have you
22:57disappearing for quarters,
22:58halves.
22:59Was it staging?
23:00Absolutely, yeah.
23:01This was disgraceful.
23:02Rayner, mate,
23:03you're a fox.
23:03you, Cam Rayner!
23:07Rayner has had,
23:08historically,
23:10quiet first halves.
23:14The meeting with
23:14the inconsistency stuff,
23:15that kind of got
23:16under my skin a little bit.
23:17Like, the amount of times
23:18I've done games,
23:20you look at the stat sheet
23:21and you go,
23:21gee, Cam Rayner
23:22is the man
23:22that needs to get busy.
23:23You start believing
23:24what people are saying
23:25from the outside
23:26and then you start
23:27doubting yourself.
23:28It's always funny,
23:29every kid dreams
23:30of being an AFL footballer,
23:31but when you start
23:32living it,
23:33you're like,
23:33wow, this is actually
23:34a lot harder than
23:34what I thought it was
23:35going to be.
23:36One, two, up,
23:36up, across, up, across.
23:39Going high in the draft
23:40as the number one draft pick,
23:41I feel like that pressure
23:41was on me instantly.
23:43Almost held by
23:44the number one draft pick,
23:45Cam Rayner.
23:46Couldn't quite hold it.
23:48People would ask me,
23:49are you feeling pressure?
23:49And I'd be like,
23:50nah, it's all good.
23:51But internally,
23:52definitely,
23:53I was feeling pressure
23:53and I felt like
23:54every time they speak
23:56about you,
23:56it's always the number
23:57one draft pick,
23:58this, this, this.
23:58Disappointment
23:59for the number one draft pick,
24:00Cam Rayner.
24:02I remember it not had
24:03a couple of bad games
24:04in a row.
24:05Rayner,
24:05important kick.
24:08He's missed it.
24:10Lack of composure
24:10for the youngster.
24:12Rayner,
24:12wasting no time.
24:13He wants to be the match
24:15winner,
24:15but he's missed it.
24:16Cam Rayner doesn't
24:17get the job done.
24:17She can't have that
24:18at AFL level.
24:20My cousin Reece
24:21come up to me
24:22and I remember
24:23I started crying to him
24:23and I was like,
24:25Jesus,
24:25this is a game
24:26that I've grown up
24:27loving and it's
24:28taken a real toll on me.
24:29After missing that shot
24:30and being consoled
24:31there by the coach.
24:32Just taking in the pressure
24:33and embracing that.
24:35Everyone thinks
24:36they know what it is
24:37and as an 18-year-old
24:38I thought I knew
24:38what it was,
24:39but it can be difficult
24:40and it can be hard.
24:48Collingwood riot like
24:49the game.
24:50You really had to
24:50turn it around
24:52for a second there.
24:53That wasn't,
24:53that wasn't easy.
24:55That wasn't an easy time,
24:56was it?
24:57Oh, dearie me.
24:59I think this is
25:00the most childish
25:01thing that I have seen.
25:02Probably in my time
25:03in football,
25:04I just thought
25:04it was ridiculous.
25:05He went for his eyes.
25:06Yeah, there's his way
25:07not to get from me.
25:07He went for his eyes.
25:08Should be a big fight
25:09and when I say big,
25:10I mean a really big fight.
25:12I knew something
25:13had happened
25:14because you called me
25:15from the change room.
25:17The more media outlets,
25:18the more social channels,
25:19you know,
25:20you get shit plastered
25:22by fans
25:23or then media outlets
25:24plastered shit
25:24everywhere on you.
25:25I was like,
25:26shut it down.
25:27You are going to get
25:27fucking annihilated here.
25:29Instagrams,
25:29everything.
25:30Shut down.
25:31I was like,
25:31why?
25:32What do you mean?
25:32Like, is it that bad?
25:33You had like
25:34over 600 messages.
25:35And I read the first few
25:36and I was like,
25:37that's probably not good for me.
25:38Or I don't wear out.
25:39You were in distress
25:40when you got home as well.
25:42If everything was just
25:43put on me,
25:44great.
25:45Like, no worries.
25:46People think that
25:46we're all fair game.
25:48Yeah, that's right.
25:48Yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:49You were associated with him.
25:50You were a bad person as well.
25:51Yeah, and like,
25:51it's our family.
25:52Yeah.
25:53Like, I know they get so hyped up
25:55and that's what we love
25:55about our fans in the game,
25:56but things that fly your way
25:58are just,
25:59yeah, it's borderline
26:00really inappropriate
26:01and pretty toxic
26:02and at the end of the day
26:03when we all have families
26:04and we're just trying
26:06to live just as much
26:07as you guys are.
26:08And I get booed
26:08by a lot of people,
26:09but...
26:11What do you do?
26:12You don't take it to heart.
26:13No, that's it.
26:14Not anymore.
26:14No.
26:15They're booing you
26:15because they like you.
26:16That's how I see it.
26:17Is it?
26:17Is that how you change your mind?
26:19Well, Cam gets booed now
26:20and I have to tell him,
26:20nah, they love you, mate.
26:21They want you on your team.
26:23After the Geelong game,
26:24the qualifying final,
26:25Cam copped a lot of stick
26:27from the press,
26:29a lot of stick
26:29from the Geelong fans.
26:36And in Cam's case,
26:37the weight of expectation
26:38to be, you know,
26:39club changing,
26:40you know, it's a lot.
26:41So I just sent him
26:42a nice little message
26:43to sort of just remind him
26:45how much that he means to us.
26:47Oh, no.
26:47Good to see you.
26:49Cam is so important
26:51to the Lions.
26:55Have you played him before?
26:56Yeah, I think I have.
26:56I reckon I came here
26:57early days.
26:59Ready to go.
27:02So seriously,
27:03how did you,
27:05how did you pull up?
27:06Nah, it was all right.
27:07Not too bad.
27:08You know,
27:08it's more the,
27:10the shit of like,
27:12you just want to get back
27:13out there again next week
27:13and fix it up.
27:14Yeah.
27:15People only see what he does
27:16on the field, right,
27:17but I get the opportunity
27:18of spending a hell of a lot
27:20of time with him
27:20and he is just
27:21the most incredible human being.
27:23They can be tough,
27:24you know what it's like.
27:24And we know what you're like
27:25all the time,
27:25so whatever the trolls
27:27want to say about you,
27:28don't let it worry you.
27:29No, thank you very much.
27:30I appreciate that.
27:31Nah, you're all right.
27:32I couldn't give two shits
27:34as to what the media's saying,
27:36as to what the fans are saying.
27:37You know,
27:38maybe we don't fill them
27:39with the expectation of,
27:40you know,
27:40you're going to lift the club up.
27:42As I said,
27:42it's good to have people
27:42like you around
27:43where you can actually talk
27:44to because you've been
27:44through shit like that
27:45before as well.
27:46Yeah, a couple of times.
27:48It's just a bit full on.
27:49Like, honestly,
27:50the support network
27:51of the club,
27:52your friends
27:53and making sure like
27:55you only listen to what,
27:57you only listen to what they...
27:59The people that really matter,
28:00actually.
28:00Yeah.
28:01Yeah, that's all that matters.
28:02Yeah, correct.
28:03Just need him to just sort of
28:04understand that
28:05getting back to the basics
28:06where you don't need
28:07to be a superstar,
28:08you just need to get your role done,
28:09help the team in whatever way
28:10you needed to
28:11at any given time.
28:11As long as we don't get
28:12caught up into that,
28:14as a team point of view
28:15and as individuals,
28:17like, it'll just bring us down.
28:19Keep it in.
28:19Keep our bubble.
28:20Yeah.
28:20We live in this bubble
28:21until our season comes to an end
28:23and hopefully that season
28:23comes to an end
28:24with another dingle-dangle
28:25around our necks
28:25and a premiership cup.
28:26And if we do this
28:27and we keep this bubble tight,
28:29Yeah.
28:29I'm telling you now,
28:30we'll win it.
28:31That's literally all I'm focused on now
28:32is just getting back out of there.
28:34I'll just keep checking in with you, mate.
28:35All right?
28:35Thanks, brother.
28:36I appreciate it.
28:38I guess it was something personally
28:39that I had to work through
28:40and learn how to deal
28:41with myself.
28:42Like, I always bring it back to,
28:44you know, I'm doing something
28:45that I grew up dreaming of
28:48and there's millions of people
28:50out there that would die
28:51to be in the position that I'm in.
28:52So just that switching mindset
28:54to be able to turn it to,
28:55all right,
28:55then this is my chance
28:56to turn it around.
29:11Grand final.
29:13Are you feeling more nervous about it?
29:18I more just want to get to the game.
29:21I want to get through my warm-up
29:23before the game.
29:24Once I get through that,
29:25I'll just...
29:26I'll probably cramp
29:27because I'm that wound up about it.
29:30Look, I'm struggling to eat this week.
29:32That's how it worked up I am.
29:36And once it gets done,
29:38well, I can...
29:39weight off our shoulders.
29:41Let's just fucking go for it.
29:42Yeah.
29:43Go hammer.
29:44Yeah, I don't know.
29:46Played you wrong.
29:48You just know they'll be ready for us.
29:51You just know they'll be ready for us.
29:53You still need a lot to go right.
29:56So we need to win.
30:01Let's go!
30:04Get up!
30:06Get up!
30:07The siren hasn't even sounded yet,
30:09but celebrations are already in full swing.
30:12Let's go!
30:12At the annual Grand Final Parade.
30:17Brisbane's pride will go on the line tomorrow
30:19as the Lions chase back-to-back AFL premierships.
30:28I'm enjoying these moments a lot more.
30:32For the kids to be out there
30:34just soaking it all up,
30:36just, yeah, somewhat almost emotional.
30:39Yeah.
30:58The AFL Grand Final now,
31:00just hours from the first bounce,
31:02the Cats and Lions are ready for their big moment.
31:10For more than 100 years,
31:12what happens on Grand Final day
31:14just stops the country.
31:16And it was very much
31:18history in the making today.
31:20You feel it everywhere.
31:22It's our Super Bowl.
31:25They've got it!
31:33They've got it!
31:37For clubs, it's about legacy.
31:39He's the proudest man in the land tonight!
31:42But for the players,
31:44like, that's about fulfilling a lifelong dream.
31:46Awesome!
31:48And sometimes in a single moment.
31:51The man for all the changes!
31:54That's what I'm talking about!
31:56So that's super challenging
31:58to be able to carry that
32:00through your performance
32:01on the big stage.
32:08Awesome, boys!
32:09Bring the energy!
32:10Let's go!
32:13CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
32:14Let's go!
32:15Let's go!
32:15Let's go!
32:15Going into the game,
32:18do you all have to be favourites?
32:19I think the Cats are 10%, 15% better.
32:21That's system and game plan
32:24and consistency.
32:26If you go back over the last 18 years,
32:2814 of those,
32:29they have finished in the top four.
32:31The final series came full circle.
32:33Brisbane Lions and Geelong
32:35in that first qualifying final.
32:37The Lions were embarrassed.
32:42Go the cattle!
32:45This is Goliath.
32:51Their last memory of us
32:53is what we dished up
32:53in the qualifying final.
32:55The improvement from the last time
32:57we played them
32:57has got to come from our hunger
32:59to win the footy.
32:59We've been bloody good at that
33:00the last couple of weeks,
33:01but we weren't the last time.
33:03All right, three in a row,
33:04let's get the job done.
33:06Cam Rainer,
33:07a proven big game player.
33:09And they're going to need
33:10all of them to fire today.
33:16Five, four, three, two, one.
33:26The Brisbane Lions
33:28looking for back-to-back
33:30premierships here.
33:32Good teams play finals consistently.
33:36Great teams might win a flag.
33:40Immortal teams win back-to-back.
33:48It has all come down to this.
33:51The best of the best.
33:56And we are underway.
33:57Perfect bounce.
34:11He's a magnet that the opposition
34:12own in on,
34:13so they would have a plan
34:15specifically for Cam Rainer.
34:23Bayley inside 50.
34:24Right now!
34:26Oh, hang on!
34:28Oh, my dick!
34:30Oh!
34:32So, Cats with a bit of momentum.
34:38Straighten up!
34:40And go back!
34:43How shaky has Brisbane started?
34:45They're under the pump.
34:47Frustrating start
34:48for Cam Rainer.
34:49Two threes against.
34:50Hasn't touched the footy yet.
34:53But just the frustration
34:54of this match-up.
34:55It's history repeating.
34:56Take down for it, Cam.
34:57Little time.
35:00He's on!
35:02Cameron has a shot!
35:04It's raining big moments!
35:06Oh!
35:09In a grand final,
35:10haven't had scores
35:11level at half-time
35:12since 1909.
35:15We've been keeping a very close eye
35:17on the O'Connor-Rainer battle.
35:19The tag is working
35:20because Cam Rainer
35:21is the only player
35:22on the ground
35:22yet to touch the footing.
35:24He's got to do something.
35:25He cannot have those
35:26mental demons.
35:27He's got to get involved.
35:29Low-scoring first half.
35:30You have no idea
35:32who's going to win this game.
35:34The one they need is Rainer.
35:37Turned away here
35:38in the second half.
35:40Smooth.
35:42There we go.
35:43Rainer, brilliant.
35:45Rips the headband off
35:46Bailey Smith.
35:51Blitz-offs against
35:52Clomber down the tackle
35:53by Rainer.
35:55Rainer looks like
35:55he's in a mood.
35:57Advantage paid!
36:01That includes
36:01the biggest lead
36:02of the match.
36:05They're starting to feel
36:06on Brisbane.
36:07So are their fans.
36:09Zorka finds
36:10Will Ashcroft
36:11and now Rainer.
36:12Rainer kicks the goal.
36:15That is so ready
36:16in Brisbane.
36:22Hector Anvil
36:23gave it straight to Rainer
36:25to Ashcroft.
36:27That is unreal.
36:30The silver half
36:31would not be any better.
36:34Ashcroft's goal side
36:36go inside again
36:37and McCluggage.
36:39McCluggage ramps it home.
36:42But they are hunting it down.
36:50Extraordinary second half
36:51has been put on here
36:52by the Brisbane Lions.
36:54A remarkable effort
36:56and will be rewarded
36:58at the end of the day.
37:02Chris Baker and his team
37:04have once again
37:05conquered footy's Everest.
37:07The Brisbane Lions
37:08win back-to-back
37:09AFL premierships.
37:12I just love the last quarter
37:14of Cam Rainer.
37:15He did it with
37:16his defensive action.
37:18What about the leadership
37:20from the oldest man
37:22on the ground,
37:22Dane Zorka?
37:24What a performance
37:25this has been
37:26from the Brisbane Lions.
37:27Your soul back up
37:28and the wrong one.
37:29Oh, here we go, Andy.
37:32Cam, well done, Cam.
37:35Oh, mate, unbelievable.
37:36I reckon that one
37:36was better than the last one.
37:37That's for you, Brucey!
37:39There you go.
37:41Nothing better.
37:41Thank you, Dane.
37:42Lodge, you've got a kiss.
37:44It was unbelievable.
37:45Like, honestly.
37:49I'm happy to keep
37:50proving everyone wrong.
37:51I love it.
37:52I really gave them a chance.
37:54It is amazing.
37:57I've got to make sure
37:57I do everything in my power
37:58to be a really big part
37:59of, hopefully,
38:00the success going forward
38:01as well.
38:03All of this team,
38:05their supporters.
38:06I like you so much, guys.
38:07You're the best.
38:10If you've won two premierships,
38:11you're starting to put yourself
38:12in sort of rare air
38:13when it comes to AFL.
38:24I think I enjoy football
38:25a lot more now
38:26than what I did
38:26when I was younger.
38:29The hard work
38:30and the sacrifices you make,
38:32that's what makes
38:33all the rest of it so sweet.
38:35I want to be just like you, man.
38:37I want to be like you.
38:39The winner of the Norm Smith medal
38:42for a second time
38:43is Will Ascroft.
38:54Chris Fagan
38:55could not have coped
38:56any better today.
38:59How good was that?
39:11My sister came out
39:12to the ground.
39:18Being able to share that moment
39:19with her
39:19and then jumping in the crowd
39:21and you've got your best friends
39:22and your family.
39:25All the way through
39:25the final series,
39:26there was a tag
39:27of being the villain
39:28and I was like,
39:28I don't really care
39:29what anyone else thinks about me.
39:30The people that I care about,
39:32that's all that matters to me.
39:36It's kind of hard for me to say
39:38if I've lived up to the hype.
39:39I don't know,
39:40I guess it's for other people
39:41to decide,
39:41not for me.
39:45We are the final friends,
39:47everyone!
39:49Back-to-back premierships,
39:50you start putting your team
39:51up in lights
39:52as one of the greatest sides
39:54in AFL history.
40:00I'm just so proud.
40:02I'm so proud.
40:11Dane Zorko,
40:12the 36-year-old,
40:13isn't done yet
40:14after signing
40:15a one-year contract extension
40:16that will hand him a shot
40:18at an even higher honour.
40:19I don't know if it's a dynasty
40:20until you win three,
40:21but I certainly want
40:22more of these moments
40:23and I'm going to be striving
40:24and doing everything
40:24I possibly can to get them.
40:26You just always wonder
40:27if you can still do it.
40:28I don't know.
40:30Because, like, I'm 36,
40:31there's no way a 36-year-old
40:32should be doing this, right?
40:35Yeah.
40:36Should never write off a champion.
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