The last time the Geelong Cats and Brisbane Lions met in a Toyota AFL Grand Final was back in **2004**, a clash that carried plenty of intrigue and anticipation. The Lions, coming off an extraordinary era of dominance with three consecutive premierships from 2001 to 2003, were aiming for a historic fourth flag in a row, something no club had achieved in the modern AFL era. The Cats, on the other hand, were a team on the rise under Mark Thompson, building a youthful core that would later blossom into a dynasty of their own.
The 2004 Grand Final at the MCG was billed as a battle between Brisbane’s hardened premiership warriors and Geelong’s up-and-coming challengers. Led by the likes of Michael Voss, Jason Akermanis, Jonathan Brown, and Simon Black, the Lions entered the contest as favourites. Their finals experience and sheer physicality had become their trademark, and many expected them to overpower the younger Cats. Geelong, however, had shown remarkable fight to reach the decider, with future champions such as Cameron Ling, Jimmy Bartel, and Steve Johnson beginning to make their mark.
On the big stage, Brisbane’s class and composure proved telling. The Lions’ midfield dominance and ability to convert crucial chances saw them establish control as the game wore on. Despite Geelong’s spirited resistance and glimpses of their emerging talent, the Lions proved too strong, running away with a convincing win and cementing their place in AFL history. For Brisbane, it was the pinnacle of their golden era, a side widely regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time.
For Geelong, though, the loss was far from the end. The experience of 2004 laid the foundations for their own period of dominance, which arrived just a few years later with premierships in 2007, 2009, and 2011.
