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Lions coach Chris Fagan retires days after leading Brisbane to third straight AFL premiership

The 65-year-old leaves with a year left on his contract after a historic three-peat

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
Chris Fagan has retired as coach of the Brisbane Lions, days after guiding the club to a third consecutive AFL premiership. The 65-year-old told players and staff of his decision on Thursday afternoon, ahead of the club's best and fairest night, despite having one year remaining on his contract.

Fagan took over as Brisbane coach in 2017, when the Lions were second bottom on the ladder. They won five games in each of his first two seasons, then reached the finals for the first time in 2019 and have not missed September since.

Saturday's grand final was the club's fourth straight, and the Lions completed a three-peat with a remarkable comeback against Fremantle. Fagan departs having coached the team into the past four grand finals for three premierships.

A Tasmanian, Fagan did not play at the top level, but was a premiership player with Hobart and Devonport. He began his coaching career in 1998 when the late Neale Daniher appointed him Melbourne's reserves coach. He later became an assistant coach at Hawthorn and then the club's football boss, playing a key role alongside senior coach Alastair Clarkson in the Hawks' three-peat between 2013 and 2015.

His retirement marks the end of a remarkable rise from a club at its lowest ebb to one of the great modern AFL dynasties.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • Fagan's exit opens the senior coaching role at Brisbane immediately after a third consecutive premiership, creating a high-stakes succession.
  • It closes a rare chapter in AFL history: a coach who arrived when the club was second bottom and leaves after four straight grand finals.
  • The decision to retire with a year remaining gives the Lions time to plan, but also raises immediate questions about who can sustain the club's success.

Background

Fagan's path to the top was unusual. He never played at the highest level, instead building his reputation as an administrator and assistant coach, including a central role in Hawthorn's three premierships. At Brisbane he transformed the club's fortunes, taking the Lions from the bottom of the ladder in 2017 to a sustained finals side. Under his watch they have not missed the finals since 2019 and achieved the three-peat with Saturday's comeback win.

Key Perspectives

The Lions: They must balance celebrating a beloved coach with finding a replacement capable of maintaining a premiership window. Fagan: He leaves on his own terms, on top, after a historic win, suggesting he believes the timing is right. Succession planners: The club now faces its biggest decision in years, with the new coach needing to step into a side built to keep winning.

What to Watch

  • Whether Brisbane names an internal candidate or looks outside the club for Fagan's replacement.
  • The club's best and fairest night, where Fagan's decision may shape the mood around the playing group.
  • Whether Fagan remains involved in football operations, given his standing and experience.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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