Maryborough's Kai Lohmann seals third AFL flag in epic grand final win

Maryborough product Kai Lohmann became a three-time AFL premiership player at 23 in Saturday's unforgettable grand final at the MCG.

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Lohmann delivered two crucial goals from 14 disposals, helping the Brisbane Lions edge out Fremantle by seven points and secure a legendary three-peat.

Maryborough's Kai Lohmann celebrates following the 2026 AFL grand final between Brisbane and Fremantle. Picture by Joel Carrett/AAP

Lohmann played five seasons for the Maryborough Junior Football Club, starting in the under 12s in 2012, where he played 100 games and kicked 101 goals, before moving to Ballarat to attend St Patrick's College in year 9.

Selected by Brisbane with pick 20 in the 2021 National Draft, Lohmann has become one of the competition's most dangerous small forwards, as shown by his brilliant five-goal performance in the preliminary final against Hawthorn a week earlier.

Across the Lions' three grand final triumphs, Lohmann has kicked a combined eight goals, including his first on Saturday in the opening term, collecting a clever mid-air handball from Logan Morris and running into goal from 45m.

His second came at a dire time, with the Lions on the back foot and 15 points down midway through the third term, Lohmann found himself clear in the goal square as Brisbane broke the Dockers' defensive zone and secured an overlap.

Kai Lohmann runs onto Princes Park in his younger days for his 100th junior game for Maryborough. Picture by Brooke Murray

Lohmann also laid a career-high 10 tackles.

"It's been a theme for the whole year - Fages has drilled into me that when I apply defensive pressure, my offence and talent come out naturally, so I had an emphasis on that today," Lohmann told SEN's AFL Nation post-match.

Trailing by 17 points with four minutes to go, the Lions produced one of the most famous comebacks in football history, slotting four goals in the dying stages to storm home, with 21-year-old Morris nailing the final two to break Docker hearts, including former Bendigo Pioneer captain Josh Treacy.

"I don't even know what to think - we just kept going bang bang bang - even Fages (coach Chris Fagan) is like what the hell did we just do," Lohmann told Triple M.

"Every single player is super talented and a match-winner. You can't be the man every week. I was it in the prelim in the second half, Charlie (Cameron) was pretty good today and Logan in the last minute."

After moving to Ballarat, Lohmann continued his career with the Greater Western Victoria Rebels and Lake Wendouree.

During his time with Maryborough, Lohmann was also a Bendigo Junior Football League representative player in 2015 (under-12s) and 2016 (under-13s).

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