Brisbane completes historic AFL three-peat with last-minute win over Fremantle

Brisbane completed a historic AFL premiership three-peat on Saturday, coming from behind to beat Fremantle 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89) in the 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final after Logan Morris kicked the decisive late goals. Morris put the Lions in front with about a minute remaining at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, then added another in the closing seconds to seal the club’s third straight flag.

The game turned sharply in the final quarter. The teams were level at halftime at 6.7 (43) apiece, but Fremantle took a 10-point lead into the final change, 10.12 (72) to 9.8 (62), and later stretched the margin to 17 points with minutes to play. Brisbane then surged back. Charlie Cameron and Zac Bailey kicked late goals to bring the Lions within a kick before Morris delivered the go-ahead score and, moments later, the sealer.

Morris finished with three goals for Brisbane, matching Cameron with three in a decisive attacking performance. Kai Lohmann and Ethan Allen added two goals each for the Lions. The match was played before a crowd of 100,023 at the MCG on Sept. 26, with Chris Fagan coaching Brisbane and Justin Longmuir coaching Fremantle. AFL coverage described it as one of the best Grand Finals in league history.

For Fremantle, the loss was another painful near miss in the club’s pursuit of its first VFL/AFL premiership. Voss led the Dockers with three goals, while Hayden Young, Dudley and Jye Amiss kicked two each. Fremantle captain Alex Pearce was listed in the official match summary with a suspected Achilles injury, adding to the disappointment for a side that had been in position to win deep into the last term.

Three consecutive premierships are rare in VFL/AFL history, and Brisbane has now done it twice. The Lions had previously won three straight flags from 2001 to 2003, and Hawthorn achieved the same feat from 2013 to 2015. This latest title places Fagan’s side in especially rare company, while also giving Brisbane a second distinct three-peat era in the national competition.