1. Dream big, Doggies
Their finals appearance was sealed before this match but it is only proper as the home and away season closes that we dip our lid to a most remarkable season from the folk at the Whitten Oval. Only the most optimistic Doggies fan would have looked beyond the period of utter turmoil in October last year when, like a stack of cards collapsing, the club lost its coach, captain and best player, and a Brownlow medallist, convincing many that the Dogs had become – and would likely stay for a long period – the epitome of a club in crisis. To their credit, the Dogs leaders held firm, performing a masterstroke with the decision to snatch Luke Beveridge from St Kilda to coach the team. With Beveridge came a game style that has excited football fans everywhere and helped a group of young men emerge from promising talents to recognised young stars. Granted, this loss to the Lions probably wasn't part of the plan, but the season in total suggests you can dismiss it as a blip. It is the type of season that dreams are made of, and why should it stop now?

2. The old jumper switch
A gut-busting, desperate, kill-the-ball-at-any-cost effort by Stewart Crameri on the quarter-time siren personified what the Dogs brought to the Gabba in the first 30 minutes. It was the type of commitment you expect in September, albeit during the finals series and not against the bottom side in a final round match. It seemed to say the Bulldogs would ignore any thoughts of self-preservation and rush headlong into the finals. The break only brought problems to the Dogs, however, as if the two teams swapped jumpers before resuming play. The Lions suddenly possessed all the running and pressure of the first-quarter Dogs, while the Dogs took on the haphazard, panicky appearance of the Lions. Such was their dominance, the Lions slammed on six goals to nothing to take the lead midway through the quarter. The Dogs steadied and ran alongside the Lions for the rest of an entertaining match, but everyone at the Kennel will know a mid-game slumber like that will spell disaster next week.

3. So much for farewell
Spare a thought for retiring Lion Brent Staker, who arrived at a Gabba ground bathed in spring sunshine, ready and, you'd think, relishing the opportunity to strut his stuff in front of his home crowd one last time before he hangs up the boots. Given Staker endured a career blighted by serious injury, footy romantics would be forgiven for hoping this final run might have the company of good luck from the first siren to last. Alas, it wasn't to be. Staker hurt his hamstring in the warm-up and was replaced by Zac O'Brien, who inherited the distinction of being the Lions' last ever sub. Staker, 31, finished with 160 games over 11 seasons with the Lions and the Eagles, an average of around 14.5 per season throughout his career. It was a better day for veteran Lion Jed Adcock, who hopes to play on at another club in 2016. The 29-year-old kick the Lions' first major, then slotted a brilliant long goal when he burst clear from a stoppage at half-back running for all his life before slotting it from 50 to put the Lions back in front late in the final quarter. Adcock finished one of his side's best players with four goals.

4. Easton Wood should be an All Australian
By anyone's measure Easton Wood has been one of the premier defenders in the 2015 season and deserves his place in the All Australian team when it is announced later this month. In the blink of an eye he has become one of the most dependable stoppers in the game. Add to that his marking prowess, particularly his ability to take intercept marks, and his drive and disposal from defence and you have a compelling case.

5. Turnovers, goals, and a star named Stef
If you haven't seen much of the Lions and find yourself in one of those uncomfortable footy conversations where you're faced with the either shamefully admitting you don't watch every game every week or faking it - fake it by identifying turnovers as a major concern. It has been a problem all season and looked likely to cause another loss here as well. Six of the Bulldogs' first seven goals came from Lions turnovers, most just simple, glaring skill errors. The difference in their play after quarter-time could not have been starker; they piled on goals and pressure, as their runners streamed forward as if the shackles had finally been removed. It surely gives Justin Leppitsch something to ponder over the summer – are the Lions a better team when they are allowed to play with a bit of freedom? But perhaps these things just happen in the final game of a season when a team has little more to do for the year than play out one final game. The 19. 6 (130) score was the Lions' biggest of the season (by 30 points) and only the second time the club has reached three figures in 2015. With that knowledge at hand, you'd expect Leppitsch to turn his attention to keeping Stefan Martin, who was again superb, at his disposal for 2016 and beyond.

Buy tickets for Western Bulldogs v Adelaide