1. Toby Greene doesn't feel the heat of the spotlight
After a week of intense scrutiny for his undisciplined act against the Bulldogs last week, Greene felt the wrath of Lions fans whenever he went near the footy. Unfortunately for the home side, that was a lot. Greene was brilliant with a game-high 30 touches and kicked two crucial goals. The star forward had nine touches and three clearances in the last term to show that when the stakes are highest, he wants to be the man. He was the man on Saturday night. But he could be in for another nervous wait after appearing to grab at the face of Lachie Neale in a pack.
2. There's no substitute for pure leg speed
In the dying stages of the final term, with his team trailing by three points and staring down the barrel of a heartbreaking loss, Brent Daniels became Greater Western Sydney's hero. With most players out on their feet after a brutal semi-final, it was the little man's pace that made him the match-winner. Daniels ran from behind Brisbane defender Alex Witherden and swooped on a loose ball before bolting away from the Lion to slot a brilliant checkside goal. Nobody in the League would have caught him.
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3. The Lions are set up beautifully for 2020
Chris Fagan's team came from 15th last year to finish second on the ladder, and while they failed to win a final, the club has plenty to work with to make sure the rise wasn't a fluke. Eric Hipwood, Hugh McCluggage, Cam Rayner and Harris Andrews are names to build a club around, and with a couple of hard finals under the belt, Brisbane now has some big-game experience to go with its talent.
Young gun Cam Rayner celebrates a goal against the Giants. Picture: AFL Photos
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4. There's no stopping the tag of Matt de Boer
Lachie Neale knew his former Fremantle teammate was coming, and so did his teammates, but it mattered little to the GWS stopper. Neale started promisingly with seven first-term possessions, but de Boer put the clamps on after the first change. The Brownlow favourite couldn't escape the tag and with the game on the line in the last quarter, Neale was limited to just two disposals. He finished the night with 17 possessions in what was a massive win for the Giants.
Lachie Neale attemps to shrug a tackle from Brent Daniels. Picture: AFL Photos
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5. The Robbo swap worked for the Lions
Mitch Robinson's hamstring injury cost the Lions one of their inspirational leaders, but the inclusion of Nick Robertson was a masterstroke. The tough onballer was given the enormous task on GWS star Lachie Whitfield and limited him to just one possession in the first quarter. Whitfield was expected to run Robertson off his feet as the game went on, but while the Giant racked up nine in the second, he picked up just three more the match. Whitfield was hobbled by a knee to the ribs and was in obvious discomfort, but his Lions opponent deserves a massive tick for his application.
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