Brisbane's Keidean Coleman has come up painfully short on two occasions in the Lions' heartbreaking Grand Final loss to Collingwood.

The 23-year-old ran second to the Pies' Bobby Hill in the Norm Smith Medal count with 26 disposals at 80 per cent efficiency in his side's gritty effort on Saturday.

He'd accumulated 13 touches by the first break.

The Lions almost pulled off the upset, but fell agonisingly short to the inaccurate Magpies 12.18 (90) to 13.8 (86).

In a contest played on a knife's edge, Coleman regularly provided the outlet for Brisbane coming out of their back half and took his fair share of possession further up the ground to penetrate deeper towards goal.

He also opted to send the ball into the corridoe while Brisbane largely rode the boundary trying to get forward.

Coleman also had a chance to put the game on his back with a shot on the run which veered wide for a behind in the final term form a squandered Magpies' possession.

It came as both sides failed to hit the scoreboard and break the deadlock for much of the last quarter in a nail-biting end to the season.

Bobby Hill took home the medal for best-on-ground for his four goals with a unanimous decision by the five-person judging panel.

Hill received 15 from a possible 15 points in the 3-2-1 system.

Coleman was awarded five points, 2-2-1, with Collinwood's Nick Daicos placing third.

The Lions Academy product played 23 of a possible 27 games this season to a 16-7 win-loss record after two consecutive 18-game years.

He averaged 17 touches, five marks and quickly established a reputation as one of the best kicks in the competition off the Lions' half back flank.