No joy for Geelong's Mullin, O'Connor as Brisbane claim back-to-back AFL championships

An extraordinary second half from Brisbane seals another premiership for Chris Fagan's side

MAYO MOMENT: Geelong's Oisin Mullin wheels away after his early goal in the AFL Grand Final against eventual winners, the Brisbane Lions at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. Pic: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

NO Grand Final joy for Kerry's Mark O'Connor or Mayo's Oisin Mullin with Brisbane's Charlie Cameron and Hugh McCluggage grabbing four goals each as the Lions surged to a 47-point win over the Geelong Cats in the AFL decider early Saturday to secure back-to-back titles.

Livewire forward Cameron lit the spark as the Lions broke the Cats' resistance with a three-goal burst late in the third quarter in front of a heaving crowd of 100,022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Lions kicked 13 to six goals after the main break to lock in the 18.14 (122) to 11.9 (75) triumph, with their gamble on picking Lachie Neale after his calf injury paying dividends as the co-captain gathered 17 disposals after being subbed into the contest in the third quarter.

Mayo's Oisin Mullin came on in the first quarter and had the distinction, if not consolation, of a Grand Final goal, his second career six-pointer.

Geelong will rue a second half fadeout and a game where its best players couldn't impact. Far from their dominant showing three weeks earlier against the Lions, the Cats were cornered by Brisbane's pressure and eventually overwhelmed.

AWAY: Mark O'Connor of the Cats is tackled during the AFL Grand Final at the MCG

Mullin had the early edge over McCluggage when he kicked a running goal late in the quarter to give the Cats a three-point lead at the first change.

The surprise early on in this contest was the few changes either coach had made in key match-ups since their qualifying final battle. Mullin was back at McCluggage's side and Mark O'Connor was shutting out Cam Rayner again, while Gardiner was given the duties on Jeremy Cameron.

Lions midfield dynamo McLuggage kicked three majors after the final break as the Lions ran riot with nine fourth-quarter goals in the landslide triumph.

With a fifth championship in 25 years, the Lions staked their claim as the most dominant team in the modern era of Australian Rules football.

Reuters/Agencies