In a lopsided AFL grand final, the stand-out players were far easier to spot for the triumphant Brisbane Lions. Sydney kept the winning margin down to 60 points, but their influential players were few and far between.

Dual AFLW premiership player Libby Birch rates every Swans player, while former Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney rates every Lion.

Click on each player to reveal their mark out of 10, along with Birch and McCartney’s analysis.

THE COACHES:
John Longmire (Sydney)
Where did the brilliance of the ladder leaders go? He was unable to change the game from the coach’s box in the second term when the game was slipping away from them. The decision to play McDonald was another question mark. Rating: 3.5

Chris Fagan (Brisbane Lions )
The culmination of years of planning, relationship building and leading a club. Fagan’s balanced game plan gave the Lions ground shape early and contest dominance after quarter-time. Rating: 10

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