When the bells tolled for Wharfie Time with just over four minutes left in this epic grand final, few, if any, of the 100,023 crammed into the MCG could have imagined what they would see next.
uncertain
they → toll → what
Fremantle’s Patrick Voss, a hero to the purple army, had bolted on the victory run to end all victory runs towards bays of despondent Brisbane Lions fans in the Ponsford Stand after showing nerves of steel to first run down the clock, then convert from 20 metres out.
asserted
Voss → bolt → clock
What happened after the cacophony bellowing around this famous stadium had reached its climax will be etched into the minds of the millions around the globe who love this game.
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For the Fremantle faithful, who came across the Nullarbor and had visions of a hobbled Alex Pearce lifting the cup with Justin Longmuir, they will be memories they may never exorcise.
uncertain
they → happen → Longmuir
Of the premierships in Brisbane’s second three-peat, none have forced Chris Fagan’s immortals to show more skill, tenacity and bloody-mindedness.
asserted
none → force → skill
They needed all this – and more than a slice of good fortune – to turn back-to-back flags into a dynasty.
asserted
They → need → dynasty
This grand final victory, a wire-to-wire test of character and resilience, played in testing conditions – was a worthy sequel to last week’s nerve-jangling goalfest between Hawthorn and the Lions, dubbed by many to be one of the greatest games played.
asserted
victory → play → games
Champions possess an almost mystical capability to win from hopeless positions, but in this case, there is a rational explanation.
asserted
Champions → possess → case
The Lions, like all great teams, have different ways to win.
asserted
Lions → have → ways
We’ll back ourselves to score more.
asserted
We → back → more
We have more midfield muscle.
asserted
We → have → muscle
This was a game that, for all bar the final minutes, was played on Fremantle’s terms.
asserted
that → play → terms
The Dockers dominated at clearance, had the game played for long periods in their forward half but could not land the knockout blow.
uncertain
game → dominate → blow
Josh Treacy, who missed from a few feet out when all he had to do was toe poke the ball over the goal line rather than blast it into the stands, will have trouble sleeping.
asserted
he → miss → trouble
Wharfie Time is supposed to propel the Dockers to another level.
asserted
Time → suppose → level
Instead, it served as a rally cry for the unshakable Lions, who, nearly to a man, revealed it had been a source of motivation.
asserted
it → serve → motivation
Beaten in the clinches all game, the Lions’ midfield gritted their teeth and willed the ball forward with every sinew in their aching bodies.
asserted
midfield → beat → bodies
Sam Draper, recruited to the club for games like this, had been shaded by Luke Jackson but knocked the ball forward to Will Ashcroft, whose perfectly imperfect kick inside 50 gave Charlie Cameron the ideal platform to pounce, turn and curl it through on his right foot.
asserted
kick → recruit → foot
No sooner had the strains of Take Me Home, Country Roads subsided, the Dockers’ defence was under siege again.
asserted
defence → take → siege
This time, Zac Bailey bounced off a tackle from Caleb Serong that had been sticking in the previous two hours, to snap in heavier traffic than peak hour on Punt Road.
asserted
that → bounce → Road
Amid the chaos, the Dockers, through a clutch mark to Treacy and another contested-ball win by him at half-forward, composed themselves sufficiently to send the ball forward, but the defensive integrity that has defined their game all year crumbled at the most important moment.
asserted
that → contest → moment
Jarrod Berry found Lachie Neale, who was only playing due to a successful 11th hour appeal, in space.
asserted
who → find → space
Resoundingly booed by all but the Lions fans for each of his 20 disposals, he landed the ideal kick for Hugh McCluggage to gather and send deep to Logan Morris, who no longer had to contend with Pearce’s strength and wiles.
asserted
who → boo → strength
This is where the footy gods smiled on the Lions, and taunted the Dockers, whose fans will wonder what may have been if Pearce’s Achilles had not given way on the MCC members’ wing early in the third term.
uncertain
Achilles → smile → term
Morris also had little influence against Oscar McDonald, but came up trumps when the stakes were at their highest, out-marking the man who would not have played had Brennan Cox was fit.
asserted
Cox → have → man
The day did not belong to Morris, but he owned the moment.
asserted
he → belong → moment
From 45 metres out, he showed temperament beyond his three seasons in the big time to put the Lions in front.
asserted
he → show → front
So sweetly did he make connection, he launched into celebrations from the moment the ball left his boot.
asserted
ball → make → boot
With 64 seconds left, the Dockers had a final chance to reclaim a game they had led for all but a few minutes since quarter time.
asserted
they → leave → time
Any one of five Dockers could have gathered possession as the Sherrin ricocheted like a pinball deep in Fremantle’s forward line after Shai Bolton’s clean takeaway, but it was Ryan Lester’s number that won the lotto, sending the ball out of danger.
uncertain
that → gather → danger
As the ball pinged around again on the wing, it was the Lions who got what they wanted; first a boundary throw-in, then a clearance and regather from Will Ashcroft, who, as he did last week, scythed his way forward to set up the clinching goal.
asserted
he → ping → goal
As far as grand final losses, few could be as cruel as the fate which befell the Dockers.
uncertain
which → befall → Dockers
A shattered Justin Longmuir had his head in his hands.
asserted
Longmuir → have → hands
Karl Worner played out the remaining seconds with tears blurring his vision.
asserted
tears → play → vision
A surprise Norm Smith winner with only 58 per cent efficiency from his 26 disposals, Bolton’s medal stayed on his neck not much longer than Nathan Buckley’s 24 years ago in the opening act of the Lions’ first three-peat.
asserted
medal → stay → peat
When the siren rang, the 18 Dockers on the field collapsed to the turf almost simultaneously, stunned how the cup they had one hand on – plus several fingers on the other – had been ripped away from them.
asserted
they → ring → them
No position in a game will ever feel unassailable again.
asserted
position → feel → game
In September, Fagan’s Lions do not die.
asserted
Lions → die → September
In each of their premierships, they have taken the long way home.
asserted
they → take → way
Only once has a club won four flags in a row.
asserted
club → win → row
If a club stops them next year, they will have to go the distance.
asserted
they → stop → distance
…and 4 more, not listed.
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