The Dockers had one hand on the premiership cup. Then came four minutes that turned the grand final

September 26, 2026 — 8:12pm

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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.

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.

Up by a game-high 17 points, with the finish line tantalisingly close, the Dockers had never been closer to the premiership in their 11,502 days in the AFL.

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.

Of the premierships in Brisbane’s second three-peat, none have forced Chris Fagan’s immortals to show more skill, tenacity and bloody-mindedness. They needed all this – and more than a slice of good fortune – to turn back-to-back flags into a 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. Both could not be greater advertisements for the........

© The Sydney Morning Herald