Very satisfied interviews coming out of the Brisbane rooms tonight, they’re saying they tried not to take the Geelong loss too hard, and to trust in the fact that they had the double chance and they could get to the prelim another way.They’ll be feeling better about the world tonight.That’s enough from us, I think.Brisbane to play Collingwood, back to the rivalry of the early 2000s, and Geelong to play Hawthorn, the best modern 21st century rivalry of all.Don’t miss preliminary final weekend.

Until then,33 touches for McCluggage tonight, 28 for Will Ashcroft, a number surprisingly equalled by Touk Miller for the Suns although his use of the ball didn’t lead to much,Not his fault, just the way the Lions cut off any useful route up the field for Gold Coast, who couldn’t out-think the blockade on the run,14 marks for Harris Andrews, who intercepted with such each,Three goals each for Lohmann and Bailey.

But most remarkably, Josh Dunkley laid 18 tackles tonight.Eighteen! Breaking the record for any final: that record was 16, set by Jimmy Bartel as Geelong won the flag in 2009.Lachie Neale is all smiles in the changing room, despite that injury.Is there the slimmest of chances that he could rehab enough in the remaining two weeks available?The Suns chair David Swallow off the ground after 249 games for the Suns across 14 seasons.He was there at the beginning in 2011, and stayed the course after so many left.

How he would have loved to reach game 250 with a preliminary final next week, but those numbers don’t make his career any less admirable, with 111 goals and almost 5000 touches of the football.That, my friends, is that.Brisbane got doused last week, but they’ve bobbed back up and made another prelim final.By rights they should be hosting it, having finished above Collingwood on the ladder, but the AFL isn’t going to turn down the chance to get 90,000 in at the MCG two days running.Brisbane were terrific in their approach tonight, despite having Lachie Neale watching on injured: they hassled and harassed and gave the Suns no space.

There was a lack of polish in the forward line when it came to finishing off some moves, so that’s the main area that Brisbane need to fix up.As for Gold Coast, this is clearly their best season after being the punching bags of the comp for so long.It’s really not surprising that they were flat, after making the longest trip in football the previous week, Brisbane to Perth, and not just that but beating Fremantle, winning their first final, and doing it in the dying seconds of the game.That’s a huge emotional experience to process.Hopefully they’ll come back better for the run next year.

Q4: 4 minutes remaining: Brisbane 14.16.100 – Gold Coast 6.9.45 Cruising to the finish, Brisbane.

Lohmann misses one chance, after Collins is corralled by McInerney on the boundary line and kicks it out on the full.Lohmann buries the snap into the goal post.But doesn’t miss his next chance, inexplicably marking uncontested 15 metres out from goal in the midst of one of the biggest packs you’ll ever see on a footy field.There was a gap, and nobody else went with him into it.Q4: 7 minutes remaining: Brisbane 13.

15.93 – Gold Coast 6.9.45After a number of misses themselves, including another Charlie Cameron point around the body on the run, Brisbane find the goals in the last quarter.It’s Bailey with the set shot after being found with a short pass.

Q4: 9 minutes remaining: Brisbane 12.14.86 – Gold Coast 6.9.45Finally, it’s a goal! Something for the Suns.

Rowell is involved again, unsurprisingly, running through two players, bouncing off both, to snag a loose ball, spin back the other way, then deliver an educated kick from outside 50 to find Ainsworth in front.The shot from 40 is true.Q4: 12 minutes remaining: Brisbane 12.14.86 – Gold Coast 5.

9.39Kick to kick stuff in the last few minutes.Oscar McInerney has a flying shot but kicks a point.Humphrey has a long range shot but Harris Andrews marks on the line uncontested.All the energy is out of this game.

Bruce Reville is on, the Brisbane sub activated, and he receives a handball to take a shot from 40 but misses.Q4: 17 minutes remaining: Brisbane 12.12.85 – Gold Coast 5.9.

39 A couple of forays forward from the Suns, but the Lions defence keeps picking them off,Rayner crashes into Collins, who was coming back with the flight, and Collins wins the free, but his kick forward would have hit the Docklands roof,Charlie Cameron misses a set shot, Bailey misses a snap,Since the Suns’ last goal halfway through the second quarter, they’ve scored five behinds while the Lions have put six through the middle,That’s about all the story you need.

Q3: 1 minutes remaining: Brisbane 12.10.82 – Gold Coast 5.9.39Mac Andrew throwing himself at the ball up forward, wins a holding the ball call, Swallow sends it back inside, but Ainsworth can only get one hand to it in the pocket.

A late Suns goal would mean six more to get in the last, but they’re already spent.No energy out there.Except from Swallow, who barges through the traffic to take possession, generate another inside 50 after dipping past the paint, but Brisbane’s set up is too good, Harris takes King out of the contest so that Ah Chee can mark uncontested.Q3: 4 minutes remaining: Brisbane 12.10.

82 – Gold Coast 5.9.39Crazy mark from Ty Gallop.Gets the first touch in the pocket as he’s falling backwards, taps it again as he falls to ground, then finally holds the ball at the third attempt as he’s flat on his back.Goes back and drills his set shot around the corner to draw a roar from the crowd, his first career goal in his fourth career game.

Q3: 5 minutes remaining: Brisbane 11.8.74 – Gold Coast 5.9.39Another miss, summing up the Suns’ night.

Touk Miller is given a shot, holding the ball paid against Brisbane 40 out from goal.Miller comes in on a straight line, then jinks to the right at the last minute and drags his kick left.Q3: 7 minutes remaining: Brisbane 11.8.74 – Gold Coast 5.

8.38Andrew Swallow is on as the substitute, the Gold Coast club champion, their last remaining foundation player.They could have used his composure from the beginning.Gets his first touch, searching for an option inside 50, but the Lions pick it off and rebound.Rayner kicks a point down the other end.

Six goals the difference.Haven’t seen a polished Suns passage of play for a long, long time, Brisbane too good at breaking them up.Ethan Read was the player subbed out after four disposals, he looks pretty upset on the bench.Q3: 12 minutes remaining: Brisbane 11.7.

73 – Gold Coast 5.7.37Another missed set shot for the Suns.Humphrey goes around the corner from 30 out straight in front, and tugs it way too far around.Wastes a good pass from Read inside 50 after King left the ball for Read to mark 55 out.

And again the Lions punish them, again through the middle, again Rayner breaking a tackle in the centre square, Ah Chee across the face of goal, and Bailey marks at the far side and puts through his kick around the corner! Suns have been nowhere after about the first quarter-hour tonight.Q3: 14 minutes remaining: Brisbane 10.7.67 – Gold Coast 5.6.

36Suns just can’t get out of defence.It takes them about 20 possessions and a couple of free kicks to work their way down the field, then kick it over the contest and out of bounds in the forward pocket.Nothing is working for them tonight.Lions back the other way.Charlie Cameron runs Jeffrey off his feet, turns this way and that so many times that Jeffrey’s boots give out underneath him.

Long kick finds Ashcroft but his flying shot at goal misses,Mac Andrew has swung forward now, leads up to present as the Suns go the other way, but can’t take possession,Q3: 18 minutes remaining: Brisbane 10,6,66 – Gold Coast 5