The following match report featured in the 2001 Season Review magazine...
The overriding concern of the Brisbane Lions Reserves’ coaching staff was to prepare their players for senior football in 2001, but the State League premiership proved a major bonus along the way.
The Reserves had been bundled out at the Semi Final stage of their previous two seasons, but a combination of fewer injuries to the senior list, the strength of character of the fringe senior players, and undoubted quality of the younger players contributed to the surprise success.
It was a fierce approach to the football and willingness to run themselves to exhaustion which saw the Lions Reserves overcome hot favourites Southport to claim their first ever AFL Queensland Premiership.
Reserves Captain Ben Robbins won the Joe Grant Medal for best on ground in the first Grand Final of his life, withstanding everything Southport could throw at him, and finishing with 20 kicks and 24 handballs.
The Lions trailed by 20 points at half time, but dominated the second half to win 13.20 (98) to 13.8 (86), with errant kicking in the tricky Coorparoo wind keeping the scores close for a bigger than usual crowd.
Southport had won all three previous clashes between the two sides, and kicked 11 of the first 12 goals in a lop-sided Semi Final victory. But the intensity of the first five minutes of the Grand Final sent a loud message that the Lions meant business.
Aaron Shattock smashed into a big pack the first time the ball had to be contested and the young Lions top-up players followed suit. Shattock was good all day and was awarded the Player of the Finals.
The Lions were able to creep back into the game courtesy of Richard Hadley shutting down danger man Ashley Gehling, and full-back Shane Morrison keeping a tight rein on goal-kicker Rod Mackay.
The game changed complexion from the outset of the third term, when ruckman Dylan McLaren, Robbins, Shattock and Des Headland combined to rush the ball forward constantly from the centre bounce contests.
Headland’s silky skills were on display for all to see, and his 10 kicks, two handballs and two goals for the third term helped turn the game.
Every Lions player contributed to the victory, with Ash McGrath and Luke Hammond stepping up in the second half, Haydn Kluver doing some important work at both ends of the ground, and Luke Weller providing an honest contest at centre-half-forward all day.
“Our main job was to help prepare the young guys who tasted senior football during the year, get the fringe players back into form to keep them knocking on the door, and assist the rookies to elevate their game,” Reserve Premiership Coach Craig Brittain said.
“At the same time, we still wanted to win - winning can become a habit, as we saw with our seniors.”
“They were a very good group of players to work with and they deserved their little bit of team success at the end of it.”
2001 QAFL Grand Final Scoreboard
Brisbane Lions 2.1 5.4 11.14 13.20 (98)
Southport 4.5 8.6 10.6 13.8 (86)
Lions Goals - Headland 3, Mapleston 2, Kluver 2, Cupido 2, McLaren 2, Van Rooyen, Picken.
Lions Possessions - Robbins 44, Headland 29, Shattock 28, Bolton 23, Kluver 17, Picken 16, McGrath 15, Hadley 15, Tarrant 15
Lions Best - Robbins, Headland, Shattock, McLaren, Bolton, Morrison, Hadley
