Geelong Cats 75-122 Brisbane Lions
There was disappointment for Irish pair Oisín Mullin and Mark O'Connor as the Geelong Cats suffered a 47-point defeat to holders Brisbane Lions in Saturday’s AFL Grand Final.
Kerry’s O’Connor, who won a Premiership with the Cats in 2022, was named to start in his third final, while former Mayo footballer Mullin started the clash as an interchange player, but was introduced early on in the first quarter.
The two-time Young Footballer of the Year was on the scoresheet as he recorded his second ever goal, but it wasn’t to be for the Cats as Brisbane staked their claim as the most dominant team in the modern era of AFL with a fifth championship in 25 years.
Oisin Mullin for his second career goal!#AFLGF pic.twitter.com/UsXmATmyLn
— AFL (@AFL) September 27, 2025
Despite the margin of victory, it was for long stretches a thrilling encounter, with constant lead changes through the first two and a half quarters until a game-breaking run of goals led by Lachie Neale and Charlie Cameron for the Lions.
Level at half-time on 66 points apiece, livewire forward Charlie Cameron lit the spark as the Lions broke the Cats' resistance with a three-goal burst late in the third quarter in front of a heaving crowd of 100,022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Lions led by 19 points at three-quarter-time before the floodgates finally opened.
Midfield dynamo Hugh McLuggage then booted three majors after the final break as the Lions ran riot with nine fourth-quarter goals in the 18.14 (122) to 11.9 (75) triumph.
Mullin, who has spent three years in Australia, was bidding to join team-mate O’Connor, Zach Tuohy, Conor McKenna and Tadgh Kennelly as Irish AFL winners.
McKenna remains with Brisbane but having featured a number of times earlier in the season, he had been playing with the club's VFL team in more recent times.
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