Despite some wayward goalkicking and a late Essendon flurry, Brisbane has sewn up fifth spot and will host an elimination final following a 20-point win over the Bombers at the Gabba.
On a frustrating night for the hosts, the Lions led by 46 points at the final change but had to endure some nervous moments after the visitors piled on five unanswered goals.
Brisbane was the better team for most of the night though and deserved its 11.21 (87) to 10.7 (67) win.
They will play either the Western Bulldogs, Carlton or Fremantle in two weeks, depending on results from the final day of the home and away season on Sunday.
Poor goalkicking was again an issue though, as it was in losses to Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood in the previous fortnight.
Led by Lachie Neale (40 disposals) and Hugh McCluggage (29), Brisbane's midfield was dominant, laying the platform for victory with a 45-25 clearance ascendency.
On a night when players from both teams made strange decisions and often missed simple targets, McCluggage was a class above with his creativity in close quarters and ball use in space.
Neale was at his prolific best, kicking a great snap from 35m and adding two goal assists to go with seven clearances.
Charlie Cameron found some form on the eve of the finals, kicking three goals, including one pearler on the run off his left foot, while Kai Lohmann was also dangerous inside 50, kicking three of his own.
Brisbane has some areas to address heading into its sixth consecutive finals campaign.
It made a number of uncharacteristic errors and over-possessed the ball on occasions when looking for the perfect option, keeping the door ajar for the Bombers.
Brisbane could have, and probably should have, led by more than 12 points at quarter-time, spurning golden opportunities around goal like it had in the previous fortnight.
Eric Hipwood and Jarrod Berry missed gettable chances, while Josh Dunkley totally shanked his set shot from 25m to miss everything.
They opened the gap to 28 points by the main break, with Cameron the beneficiary of some good work upfield, kicking two for the term.
Essendon was not helping itself with some horrible decision-making and turnovers, gifting the Lions field positions and putting itself under immense pressure.
Zach Merrett completed another wonderful season, racking up 37 disposals, while Andrew McGrath and the retiring Dyson Heppell had 34 apiece.
It was a rough finish to a rollercoaster season for the Bombers, that at one stage saw them comfortably sitting in the top four before losing six of their final seven matches.
The Joe Show ticks over to 200
As so often in the 199 games before it, Joe Daniher's 200th had a bit of everything. The Lions full-forward finished with 1.2 and his usual array of highlights and strange occurrences. After missing a set shot from 35m, he immediately drilled one on the run from 55m. Daniher appeared to have kicked a second from the boundary line – with players setting up for a centre bounce restart – before Edge showed it had shaved the post. Throw in a couple of marking contests close to goal where he appeared to have his arms chopped without receiving a free kick, and The Joe Show gave us a bit of everything.
Heppell's farewell
It certainly wasn't the farewell he hoped for, but Dyson Heppell's 253rd and final game was an absolute gem. The Bombers veteran was superb for his team, finishing with 34 disposals and a game-high 12 intercepts. As he has so often through his career, Heppell used the ball well off half-back, going at 85 per cent efficiency. With his brother Jamin back in Australia for the first time in two years to watch, Heppell can be well and truly proud of his final performance.
BRISBANE 3.4 7.9 11.17 11.21 (87)
ESSENDON 1.4 3.5 5.7 10.7 (67)
GOALS
Brisbane: Lohmann 3, Cameron 3, Neale, Morris, Hipwood, Daniher, Bailey
Essendon: Langford 3, Stringer 2, Merrett, Martin, Hobbs, Gresham, Draper
BEST
Brisbane: McCluggage, Neale, Lohmann, Ashcroft, Dunkley, Wilmot
Essendon: Merrett, McGrath, Heppell, Langford, Roberts, Martin
INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Essendon: Guelfi (hamstring)
SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Harry Sharp (replaced Eric Hipwood in the final quarter)
Essendon: Ben Hobbs (replaced Matt Guelfi in the third quarter)
Crowd: 31,663 at the Gabba
