Crazy elimination final ends in score review controversy as Brisbane beats Richmond in classic

Brisbane has won a high-scoring, frenzied and chaotic elimination final by just two points.

Thursday’s eliminator at the Gabba was a breathless encounter that barely slowed down all evening, featuring 17 goals in the first half alone and a staggering 15 lead changes.

The game ended in high controversy, with Tom Lynch’s dying stages set shot reviewed and despite being call a goal on-field, it was overturned after it was judged the ball crossed over the top of the goal post.

“I think we set oursleves up with a system that has inherent failures in it,” Gerard Whateley said on AFL Nation.

Just seconds after the call was made, Brisbane went down the other end and took the lead after Joe Daniher’s goal from close range sent the home fans into raptures.

Even from the opening exchanges, all the hallmarks of classic final were there – high pressure, high intensity and every piece of play taking on a heightened level of importance.

Both sides traded majors in the final term in a barely believable conclusion, with the pace of the game somehow growing by the minute as the stakes rose.

Richmond copped a devastating blow on the stroke of half time, after Dion Prestia was subbed out with another hamstring injury.

Prestia – who has been arguably the Tigers’ best midfielder this year – has battled soft-tissue setbacks in recent times, with Richmond “fearing the worst” over the severity of the injury according to Channel 7.

Lachie Neale showed why he’s hot favourite to win his second Brownlow Medal after yet another dominant 39-disposal and 15-clearance game.

Earlier in the night, Brisbane was forced to use their sub early in the first quarter after ruckman Oscar McInerney was withdrawn following a head clash with Jack Ross.

The important Lions big man hobbled off the Gabba bloodied just minutes into the contest, forcing Joe Daniher and Dan McStay to share ruck duties for the remainder of the evening.

“(Joe) Daniher is now taking centre bounces and obviously they wouldn’t have gone in planning that,” former Tiger and Demon Brad Miller said on AFL Nation.

“It just throws them out of whack for five minutes (which they reset).”

Despite being forced to restructure on the run, Brisbane went into quarter time level with Richmond, largely on the back of Eric Hipwood, who kicked two goals in the opening term.

The tricky Shai Bolton caused Brisbane’s defence problems all night, as the crafty Tiger booted two goals before half time.

“That’s an electrifying turn of speed,” Gerard Whateley said on AFL Nation after Bolton’s second goal.

Charlie Cameron lit up the Gabba with three goals, including an important major within the first 20 seconds of the final term.

Debutant Darcy Wilmot – who was taken with pick 16 in last year’s draft – was the beneficiary of a fortuitous 50m penalty midway through the second quarter and showed composure beyond his years in front of goal to delighted the packed Gabba crowd.

Brisbane will now turn their attention to next weekend’s semi-final, where a date with either Melbourne at the MCG or Sydney at the SCG awaits.

FULL SCORE

Brisbane: 4.3, 8.5, 13.7, 16.10 (106)

Richmond: 4.3, 9.5, 14.6, 16.8 (104)

GOALS

Brisbane: Cameron 3, Hipwood 3, Daniher 3, Ah Chee, Bailey, McCarthy, McCluggage, McStay, Robertson, Wilmot

Richmond: Lynch 3, Riewoldt 3, Bolton 2, Martin, Rioli, Cotchin, Cumberland, McIntosh, Rioli, Ross, Sonsie

BEST

Brisbane: Neale, McCluggage, Bailey, McStay, Daniher, Cameron

Richmond: Lynch, Riewoldt, Bolton, Nankervis, Pickett

INJURIES

Brisbane: Oscar McInerney (head knock), subbed out for Callum Ah Chee

Richmond: Dion Prestia (hamstring), subbed out for Shane Edwards

CROWD: 35,013 at the Gabba.