It was billed as the clash of two styles - the attacking, possession-based football of Brisbane Roar versus the defensively resolute, counter-attacking Western Sydney Wanderers.
A crowd of over 50,000 packed into Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium - over one-fifth of these sporting the Black and Red of the Wanderers, making a home final feel at times like a neutral venue.
The opening exchanges were tense - the visitors with the better of the first twenty minutes, before the A-League's Player of the Year, Thomas Broich fired a warning shot just inches wide of the Wanderers goal.
SBS's Vitor Sobral called the action.
"Brisbane Roar on the attack now, Thomas Broich on the edge of the penalty area - but just past the post! And the best chance of the game so far, Thomas Broich."
Despite a sluggish start, the Roar began to find their feet - Socceroo Ivan Franjic striking the crossbar just before half-time.
"He moves it out to the right for Ivan Franjic approaching the box, he gets a cross in - a deep one - it hits the crossbar! Covic beaten, but not the crossbar - eventually Polenz clears."
It was nil-all at the break, but it had been a disciplined performance by the Wanderers.
The Roar's midfield had been kept quiet, with Shinji Ono dominating his opposite number Luke Brattan.
It was the Japanese Marquee's last game in the A-League, and in the 55th minute, he made a telling contribution.
"Shinji Ono with the set piece from the Wanderers' right, it's gonna be an out-swinging with his right foot. He delivers to the near post and it's there! Western Sydney have taken the lead - Matthew Spiranovic with the header, on the nearpost unmarked - straight into the top corner!"
It was the goal the Wanderers' deserved, but only minutes later a major setback - captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley was forced from the field with a knee injury.
A team reshuffle appeared to weaken the Wanderers as Brisbane pushed harder for an equaliser.
Besart Berisha shot just over from a free kick, before desperate defending saw another great chance for the Albanian deflected wide.
Thomas Broich was increasingly influential - his shot in the 70th minute nearly provided the equaliser, but with the Wanderers just six minutes away from victory, the mercurial German delivered a moment of magic.
"Broich delivers in it's a great ball it's headed in by Besart Berisha - and Brisbane Roar are level with five minutes left in the 90. A free header from Berisha - he's done it again. Oh what can they do - what a goal!"
Broich's cross was headed home by Berisha - the killer B's stinging the Wanderers and forcing the match into extra time.
With both sides boasting plenty of potential match winners, it was West Sydney's Albanian forward with the chance to make his name.
Labinot Haliti was through one-on-one with Brisbane's keeper, but Michael Theo stood tall.
It was to prove a costly miss - 11 minutes later, and 18 minutes into stoppage time, a man with a knack for Grand Final goals struck again.
"Henrique heads it onto the far post for James Donachie, inside the box - back across goal for Henrique and Brisbane Roar take the lead! Henrique, the hero of 2011 is going to do it again for Brisbane."
Tomi Juric had one last chance for the Wanderers to draw level, but for the second year in a row, West Sydney fell at the final hurdle.
Brisbane Roar captain Matt Smith was ecstatic with his side's achievement.
"Unbelievable, unbelievable. What a game! A very, very tough match, Western Sydney are superb they really put us under an awful amount of pressure - but credit to our boys, we worked very hard for this and we're going to enjoy it."
West Sydney's coach Tony Popovic was rueful.
"Small details, small things win big games and when we had our chances maybe we didn't take them, and they took theirs in extra time. So, disappointing. Disappointing for the players who have worked so hard this year and our great fans that we've got. Today's a tough day."
But for Brisbane coach Mike Mulvey - the victory was testament to a club that's become the dominant force in the A-League over recent seasons.
"This team, I mean long before I arrived the DNA was already written - you never say die at this club. Against Perth Glory two years ago, you know, two goals in the last ten minutes or something, tonight we get an equaliser with four minutes to go. Look it's a wonderful, wonderful feeling. A friend of mine texted me last week, and he said all you need, is to courageous and to brave - and I said to him, you know, we are going to be that, and I know why - because we have a dressing room full of courageous and brave young men."
Brisbane Roar - A-League champions for the third time.
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