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Nervous chatter erupted into whoops and cheers at Brisbane Airport as the victorious Brisbane Lions touched down in Queensland with the AFL premiership cup, about 4pm on Sunday.
Dozens of fans gathered at the gate to welcome back the team – who were bringing back the title for a second year in a row – and collect signatures, pictures, and high-fives from players.
“It’s lovely to see them,” said Brisbane local and Lions fan Darlene McColl.
The Brisbane Lions returned to Brisbane with the AFL Premiership title, and cup, on Saturday evening.Credit: Vicki Pennycuick
“They’re such a lovely team, and they get along so well, and we just love Fagan’s influence on them and how they respond to him – it’s like a nice family.”
Virgin ground crew members Georgia Ross, Deborah Seiler and Vicki Pennycuick helped organise the gate and terminal ahead the of Lions’ touchdown.
Virgin ground crew member Vicki Pennycuick. Credit: Vicki Pennycuick
Pennycuick, the only member of the trio who was rostered on for a normal shift on Sunday, welcomed the team as they arrived, while Seiler and Ross set up decorations for the homecoming team.
“We just know what gate they’re at [and then] we come in early set up all the decorations,” Ross said.
“They loved it.”
Seiler said the pair set up similar decorations – including a balloon arch, banners, and branded bunting – for the team on Wednesday last week, ahead of their departure for the final.
“They’re really nice approachable guys,” she said, adding the team hadn’t seemed particularly nervous when leaving last week.
Fans flocked to meet the Brisbane Lions after they touched down at Brisbane Airport on Sunday.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt
The Brisbane Lions turned the tide on southern opponents the Geelong Cats on Saturday night, securing the premiership for the second year in a row.
The Brisbane team has won the AFL Grand Final five times, with the team hopeful to again return strong next season.
McColl said she and her family were “very nervous” following the final on Saturday, but following the halftime deadlock between the Lions and southern competitors the Geelong Cats were “cheering [the Lions] on right to the end”.
McColl said it was the second time the family were visiting the team after a Grand Final win, having come out last year to collect signatures from the team at the gate, and later at baggage claim.
The McColl family brought memorabilia to sign for the second year in a row.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt
“We did quite well last year [in collecting signatures] as well, so we’ll get a nice collection of them, but my daughter made some bunting, so we decided to come and get this something a bit different,” she said.
“We’ve got a whole heap of them so far, so [we’re] just trying to find them all.”
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Other fans used AFL balls, posters, or the shirts off their backs to collect signatures for the homecoming players.
Airport information desk worker Maggie said she’d been impressed by the team’s reaction to the fans waiting to welcome them both this year and in 2024.
“They were so generous with their time, they signed everything for the children took photos for everybody… and they’d be on such a high,” she said.
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