The Aporia · In the greatest and cruellest of grand finals, only the Lions believed

Dean Bilton

16 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Sat, 22 Aug, 11:00 pm, Final score, AUS 210, BAN 64 & 95 Fri, 11 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 117, AAW 4/121 Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 235, AUS 8/294 Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 7/148, AAW 2/178 Wed, 16 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 161, AAW 5/168 Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 272, AUS 6/356 Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 6/182, AUU 7/175 Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 9/238, SAM 0/58 Fri, 18 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 7/335, VIC 7/339 Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 8/271, AUS 9/272 Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/239, AAW 235 Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 115, TAS 1/117 Sun, 20 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 7/341, AUU 239 Mon, 21 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 358, NSW 6/359 Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/338, AAW 8/341 Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 4/255, AUU 254 Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAM 7/383, TAS 8/376 Wed, 23 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 8/297, AUS 230 Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/364, AAW 9/362 Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 334 & 199, AUA 171 & 200 Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIC 212, NSW 257 Sat, 26 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 9/365, AUS 333 Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 494, AUU 217 & 229 Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 4/168, QUW 167 Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIW 8/293, SAS 7/290 Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 6/236, TAW 232 Tue, 29 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 4/145, AUS 9/322 Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 364 & 257, AAW 176 & 164 Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 174, QUW 4/285 Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 7/273, TAW 7/299 Thu, 1 Oct, 2:00 pm, Final score, VIW -, SAS - Thu, 1 Oct, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 167 & 9/310, AUA 358 & 4/173d Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 149, AUA 274 Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, QUW 9/266, BAW 7/196 Wed, 7 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INU 315 & 0/11, AUU 174 & 151 Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 3/168, BAW 166 Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 206, AUA 275 Sat, 10 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 244 & 224, SAM 508 Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 1/222, BAW 6/220 Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 275, AUA 226 Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 9/500d, TAS 245 & 5/402 Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 175 & 8/201, QUE 307 & 68 Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 241, SAM 311 Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 7/127, ACM 100 Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/136, BHW 90 Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 7/138, PSW 4/139 Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 3/79, MSW 78 Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 284 & 206, AUS 390 & 6/314d Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 158, TAS 203 Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 246, QUE 261 Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/78, ACM 7/77 Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 4/183, PSW 8/182 Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW -, BHW - Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 2/175, BAW 172 Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 4/180, MSW 6/179 Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 5/165, HHW 8/136 Fri, 16 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 4/86, ACM 83 Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 7/397, QUE 271 Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 5/136, PSW 8/166 Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 5/122, MRW 9/121 Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ACM 4/129, MSW 6/132 Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 9/105, ASW 6/143 Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 8/165, NZW 2/162 Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 2/132, HHW 8/129 Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 129, ASW 6/139 Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 2/93, PSW 92 Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 8/155, MSW 5/158 Sun, 18 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW - Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 7/167, NZW 8/127 Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 6/116, PSW 5/118 Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 9/152, SSW 6/153 Tue, 20 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW - Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 203 & 145, QUE 238 & 4/114 Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, PSW 7/134, SSW 8/149 Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, SAF 9/425d, AUS 99 & 4/156 f/o Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, AUW -, NZW - Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 241 & 236, VIC 207 & 266 Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, WAU 339 & 6/183, NSW 6/440d & 5/262d Thu, 22 Oct, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUW versus BAW Sat, 24 Oct, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAS versus VIC Sat, 24 Oct, 5:00 pm, Game not started, WAU versus NSW Tue, 27 Oct, 7:30 pm, Game not started, SAF versus AUS Wed, 28 Oct, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus WAU Thu, 29 Oct, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus STW Thu, 29 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus HHW Fri, 30 Oct, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAS versus NSW Fri, 30 Oct, 11:45 am, Game not started, AU6 versus ONG Fri, 30 Oct, 7:05 pm, Game not started, EN6 versus AU6 Fri, 30 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus SSW Sat, 31 Oct, 11:00 am, Game not started, QUE versus VIC Sat, 31 Oct, 3:40 pm, Game not started, ASW versus MSW Sat, 31 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus MRW Sun, 1 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, STW versus BHW Sun, 1 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, SSW versus HHW Mon, 2 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus PSW Wed, 4 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, HHW versus MRW Thu, 5 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, ASW versus BHW Thu, 5 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus PSW Fri, 6 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus SSW Sat, 7 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, WAU versus ENG Sat, 7 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus ASW Sat, 7 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus HHW Sun, 8 Nov, 1:40 pm, Game not started, SSW versus STW Sun, 8 Nov, 5:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus MSW Tue, 10 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, HHW versus ASW Wed, 11 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus SAM Wed, 11 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, VIC versus WAU Wed, 11 Nov, 11:30 am, Game not started, QUE versus TAS Wed, 11 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus STW Thu, 12 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MSW versus BHW Thu, 12 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MRW versus SSW Fri, 13 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Sat, 14 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus BHW Sat, 14 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus ASW Sun, 15 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SSW versus MRW Sun, 15 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Mon, 16 Nov, 10:00 am, Game not started, NSW versus SAM Mon, 16 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, QUE versus TAS Mon, 16 Nov, 2:00 pm, Game not started, VIC versus WAU Mon, 16 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus MSW Tue, 17 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus SSW Wed, 18 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Thu, 19 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus PSW Thu, 19 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus STW Fri, 20 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus MRW Sat, 21 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, HHW versus STW Sat, 21 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, SSW versus PSW Sat, 21 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Sun, 22 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus QUE Sun, 22 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, BHW versus ASW Sun, 22 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus MRW Mon, 23 Nov, 1:30 pm, Game not started, WAU versus TAS Tue, 24 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus VIC Tue, 24 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Wed, 25 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MRW versus BHW Thu, 26 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, STW versus ASW Thu, 26 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, SSW versus MSW Fri, 27 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Fri, 27 Nov, 9:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus HHW Sat, 28 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus MSW Sat, 28 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus SSW Sun, 29 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, BHW versus PSW Sun, 29 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, ASW versus HHW Sun, 29 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Tue, 1 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus Wed, 2 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus WAU Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, VIC versus QUE Thu, 3 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus TAS Thu, 3 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus Sat, 5 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus Wed, 9 Dec, 1:20 pm, Game not started, AUS versus NZL Sat, 12 Dec, 8:10 pm, Game not started, MER versus PER Mon, 14 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW Tue, 15 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW Tue, 15 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW Tue, 15 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus SYS Wed, 16 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW Wed, 16 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus ADE Thu, 17 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW Thu, 17 Dec, 11:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL Thu, 17 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, HOB versus BRI Fri, 18 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW Fri, 18 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus ADE Sat, 19 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW Sat, 19 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus SYS Sun, 20 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW Sun, 20 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus HOB Mon, 21 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW Mon, 21 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus BRI live Live updates: South Africa vs Australia, second Test, day five from St George's Park in Gqeberha South Africa are odds on to level the series with victory in the second Test, with Australia needing a monumental batting effort to salvage a draw in Gqeberha. Follow the live blog below, keep up to date with all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage. Submit a comment or question Live updates New: Filters Choose what information you see below by using filters Marco's mastery He may have a perpetual scowl on his face on field, but Marco Jansen had plenty to smile about during yesterday's day's play, as he claimed 5-33 in 11 overs. The 26-year-old has had a good mate, scoring 85 runs on Tuesday, his second-highest Test score, before backing up with an accurate display of seam bowling yesterday.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Live: Australia battling to avoid defeat in second Test

🔮 I'd suggest that means Cameron Green is not going to be selected - and I'd guess that Nathan Lyon might miss out too.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Live: Australia, South Africa set for second Test in drizzly Gqeberha

🔮 Key Event Richmond secures trade for Port Adelaide's pick five The Tigers have been considered the front-runner for this pick for the past few days, and the deal will go through this afternoon.

2026-10-14 · assertive framing · Live: Last-gasp drama and surprises in store on AFL trade deadline day

🔮 New: Filters Choose what information you see below by using filters Who could Sydney use to replace Blakey?

2026-10-08 · assertive framing · Live: Bombers out of Blakey race as Saints prepare offer to test Swans

🔮 The latest from AFL.com.au's Cal Twomey is the Suns will meet with Nick Blakey this morning as both parties investigate a potential trade.

2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Live: Blakey chase intensifies as blockbuster AFL trade looms

🔮 Reports suggest suspended Sydney star Nick Blakey could be talking to rival clubs about a shock trade as negotiations on the big deals continue.

2026-10-06 · mixed framing · Live: Suspended Swans star may seek shock AFL trade

🔮 The reporting around this suggested Marshall didn't feel comfortable being there considering his desire to leave the club, but you could also read this as him making a statement to the Saints and trying to force their hand a little.

2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Live: Wantaway Saints star boycotts best and fairest as Cats eye AFL trade

🔮 When you look at these pictures, do you see the Brisbane Lions and their titanic force of will, the outrageous talent and nerve, an accomplishment to match any seen in the modern AFL era?

2026-09-26 · assertive framing · In the greatest and cruellest of grand finals, only the Lions believed

🔮 Or will a surprise winner make for another thrilling count?

2026-09-21 · mixed framing · Live: Daicos favourite to end Brownlow wait on AFL's night of nights

🔮 Charlie Cameron kicked five goals as the Lions used an outrageous early onslaught to cruise to a 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91) triumph and will face Hawthorn in a preliminary final next weekend.

2026-09-12 · assertive framing · Lions keep three-peat dream alive with 53-point mauling of Adelaide

Also by Dean Bilton

Live: Australia battling to avoid defeat in second Test

2026-10-22 · ABC News (AU)

Live: Australia, South Africa set for second Test in drizzly Gqeberha

2026-10-18 · ABC News (AU)

Live: Last-gasp drama and surprises in store on AFL trade deadline day

2026-10-14 · ABC News (AU)

Live: Bombers out of Blakey race as Saints prepare offer to test Swans

2026-10-08 · ABC News (AU)

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 16 articles by Dean Bilton →

→ Where do you start? asserted

you → start → ?

How do you confront the challenge of making sense of the 2026 AFL grand final? asserted

you → confront → final

Perhaps one's reaction to this game, this nonsensical overdose of a game, can stand as some sort of Rorschach test. asserted

reaction → stand → test

When you look at these pictures, do you see the Brisbane Lions and their titanic force of will, the outrageous talent and nerve, an accomplishment to match any seen in the modern AFL era? asserted

you → look → era

Or do you see Fremantle, inconsolable and bewildered, an unfathomably cruel loss, among the most heartbreaking inflicted upon a single club in the game's history? Which of these narratives are you most drawn to? asserted

you → see → narratives

What emotion is drawn out of you most acutely? asserted

emotion → draw → you

Because you definitely felt something. asserted

you → feel → something

Nobody who witnessed this grand final, no matter their allegiances or knowledge of the sport, could claim to have felt nothing. uncertain

who → witness → nothing

Crucially you can not have one without the other. asserted

you → have → other

The overwhelming weight of Brisbane's accomplishment needs to fall somewhere, and it just so happened to drop squarely on the soul of the Fremantle Dockers. asserted

it → need → Dockers

We can speak safely about the Dockers here, because you can be sure not one of their long-suffering fans will take the step of entering into this or any other media about this grand final for as long as they live. asserted

they → speak → final

There have been close grand finals before, heartbreaking defeats, joy snatched away just it was poised to erupt. asserted

it → snatch → ?

As Patrick Voss set off in celebration of his goal, as the bells tolled to signify what must surely be the last ever Wharfie Time and as tears erupted at last from the tortured purple throngs, nobody could possibly have been so heartless as to deny them now. uncertain

nobody → set → them

The next five minutes will go down in football folklore, dissected to the millisecond, but in the immediate aftermath feel like a blur of sound and colour. asserted

minutes → go → sound

Charlie Cameron teed up Country Roads, Zac Bailey squeezed one out of nowhere, Logan Morris took the biggest mark and kicked the biggest goal of his life. asserted

Morris → tee → life

With a ferocity perhaps even he didn't know he was capable of, but with the grace nobody has ever doubted. asserted

nobody → know → grace

He willed that team off the canvas, Ashcroft. asserted

He → will → canvas

He didn't win the medal this time, but make no mistake. asserted

He → win → mistake

There wasn't time for Fremantle to process what was happening to them. asserted

what → be → them

Suddenly, and without warning, they were bystanders in what was meant to be their own story. asserted

what → mean → warning

It was gone. asserted

It → go → ?

Then it was gone. asserted

it → go → ?

Justin Longmuir wept in the coaches' box before the final siren had even sounded. asserted

siren → weep → box

By now, he was as helpless as the many hundreds of thousands of Dockers around the country who wept with him. asserted

who → weep → him

They obliterated the Lions in the clearances, owned the airways and the territory. asserted

They → obliterate → airways

The in-house review of the game will be made more galling by the fact the Dockers did so much right. asserted

Dockers → make → much

To the great relief of Fremantle fans and neutrals alike, it was clear within 15 minutes of the first bounce that the grand final lights weren't likely to blind the Dockers. asserted

lights → blind → Dockers

Fremantle leant on its barometers early. asserted

Fremantle → lean → barometers

The Dockers, on an unfamiliar stage, belonged. asserted

Dockers → belong → stage

And with that minor business out of the way, a truly great grand final was allowed to unfurl. asserted

final → allow → way

Played in a shoebox, compressed at times within an inch of its life, the brief moments of game-breaking skill elevated the contest. asserted

moments → play → contest

Morris's invisible but very real handball to Kai Lohmann, Murphy Reid making up for an error with the cleanest hands imaginable, Conor McKenna seeing an angle few others could. uncertain

others → make → angle

The first little sign of concern for Freo came in the third quarter, after a period of dominance that produced more behinds than goals. asserted

that → come → goals

Windows of opportunity are rare in grand finals such as this, and when Charlie Cameron kicked the Lions in front it felt like the Dockers had missed a big one. asserted

Dockers → kick → one

But even then, Fremantle had an answer. asserted

Fremantle → have → answer

Hayden Young, outstanding on the day, kicked two sensational goals to turn the tide again. asserted

Young → kick → tide

The Lions were throwing punches, the Dockers were wearing them and sending them back. asserted

Dockers → throw → them

The Dockers were winning the arm wrestle in the last. asserted

Dockers → win → last

Treacy's miss from the goalsquare was set right by Voss's true set shot minutes later. asserted

miss → set → shot

For all intents and purposes, they had at last put the Lions away. asserted

they → put → Lions

…and 8 more, not listed.

In the greatest and cruellest of grand finals, only the Lions believed

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