Heeney's high five cripples Lions in costly loss
Heeney equalled his career-high with five goals in a 13.14 (92) to 13.13 (90) Gabba win on Saturday, Brisbane kicking three goals in the final minute to flirt with a miracle comeback.
The result leaves the Lions still requiring one victory from their final two home-and-away games to lock in a top-eight AFL finish.
Their top-four hopes could also be out of their hands if other results go against them later in the round.
The Swans flipped the script in the grand final rematch, running freely through a Lions midfield missing injured star Lachie Neale and moving to 11-10.
Tough Brisbane defender Brandon Starcevich (hamstring) was also a late out.
It left coach Chris Fagan without four of his grand final backs, with Jack Payne (knee), Noah Answerth (achilles) and Ryan Lester (concussion) also on ice.
But the lack of pressure, particularly at the Gabba where they're now 6-4 this season, and wayward kicking have been a consistent theme regardless of personnel.
That was to blame again, Sydney shooting to a 19-point lead in an end-to-end first quarter that featured just 16 tackles and few stoppages.
The Swans backed their pace through the centre of the Gabba, shrugging would-be tacklers and sharing the goals.
Lions defender Darcy Wilmot stopped the rot before the first break with a goal against the run of play.
His second in similar circumstances was the Lions' fifth straight as they jumped 11 points clear.
But Heeney led the Swans' response, snapping his second and third goals off his left boot and then soccering through a fourth after another sloppy Lions turnover.
Heeney has FOUR goals before half time 😮💨#AFLLionsSwans pic.twitter.com/27C9RqYvxP
— AFL (@AFL) August 9, 2025
When Heeney earned a free kicked and equalled his career high of five goals the margin was 20.
The Lions bombed another chance and it started getting ugly when Sydney sliced them up twice more to make it seven straight Swans goals.
Levi Ashcroft broke the run and Henry Smith's brilliant solo effort, tapping to himself and snapping a goal, brought it back to 20 points.
A Zac Bailey set-shot miss took some wind out of their sails at three-quarter time, the Lions again missing the mark on an early fourth-quarter chance.
Ruckman Brodie Grundy twisted the knife with a goal when he went forward.
The Lions accumulated costly misses before Morris's third, a late Bailey double and another goal straight from the bounce flattered the scoreline in a manic final 60 seconds.
Lions midfielder Josh Dunkley (31 disposals, seven tackles, six clearances) was a bright light in Neale's absence while Errol Gulden (29 disposals) led the Swans.
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