Page 52 - AFL QUEENSLAND 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW

their first since a 2001 win with a side coached by Craig Brittain and captained by Ben Robbins.
It was a fitting if overdue success for coach Nathan Clarke, who was on the Lions senior playing list in 2001, when they also won the first of three consecutive AFL premierships, but spent September of that unforgettable year on the injured list.
Clarke saluted a “magnificent” effort from his side in which they kicked eight unanswered goals in the second quarter after trailing by 18 points at quarter-time to assume a dominance they never really looked like losing.
Had the Thunder not kicked 1-5 in the third quarter it might have been a closer contest, but there was no denying that the best side of the year lifted the cup.
In his victory speech Clarke told his players “I love you all” and paid special tribute to 29-year-old Buchanan, who is set to begin life after football in Sydney.
The Thunder, having left Nathan Brown out of their grand final side to accommodate the return of midfield ace Jake Dignan, looked that and more as they jumped out of the blocks in brilliant early fashion.
It took nine minutes for either side to score, but by quarter-time the Thunder led 5-2 to 2-2 after going into the game as rank outsiders.
NT spearhead Darren Ewing made the most of some excellent midfield service to kick three goals in the first term as his side led at the first break for the 11th time in a row despite the efforts of Lions backline standout Sam Docherty.
At the 10-minute mark of the second term the Thunder still led by 10 points, but all of a sudden things changed as the Lions kicked four goals in four minutes.
Beams slotted a beautiful long running shot from near the boundary line to spark the onslaught before James Hawksley capitalised on a Patrick Karnezis centre clearance and Jack Fox accepted a clever handpass from fellow top-up player Isaac Conway for another.
Beams again got his hands on the ball in the midfield and, with the Lions looking to put maximum pressure deep on the Thunder defence, he went long and Jordan Lisle did the rest.
Captain Cheynee Stiller, Aaron Cornelius and Lisle again made it eight goals in a row to the Brisbane side, who led 10-7 to 5-6.
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2012 Year in Review