- Nov 2, 2014
- 2,342
- 2,722
- AFL Club
- Brisbane Lions
Make it a movie!
Is Chris Fagan’s journey to AFL Premiership coach, the best coaching story in the history of our great game?
From humble beginnings, born in Queenstown Tasmania in 1961, where his father was a noted player and coach.
After playing with Lyell-Gormanston, Chris’ first taste of senior football came with TFL side Hobart in 1978. Fagan was invited to trial with VFL club Essendon, however the Bombers opted not to retain him and he returned to Tasmania.
Fagan quickly developed into one of the premier rover/forwards in the TFL, and by the age of 20 he had won a premiership, a senior Best & Fairest award and his first of many state representative honours.
When his teaching career saw him transferred north to Sheffield in 1988, Fagan continued his playing career with Devonport, a move which resulted in his second premiership medallion.
Fagan turned to coaching, after retiring initially remaining at North Hobart as an assistant under Mark Yeates as the club claimed backto- back premierships in 1991-92.
During the 1997 season, Fagan circulated his resume around every AFL club in the hopes of gaining an opportunity within the system, a move which paid off when he landed the role of Melbourne reserves coach under Neale Daniher.
Fagan remained at Melbourne as an assistant coach until the end of 2004, at which time he was presented with the opportunity to delve into football administration courtesy of newly-appointed Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson. Clarkson and Fagan had become good friends while at Melbourne in the late-90s, and now Clarkson head-hunted him to become his General Manager of Football Operations. Initially Fagan declined, reluctant to desert Daniher who had given him his break into AFL football, and in fact he even took on the corresponding role with the Demons in 2005. However, Daniher’s sacking by Melbourne in mid-2007 broke that link, and in 2008 Fagan joined Clarkson at Hawthorn, albeit in a slightly different role as Director of Coaching.
In this capacity Fagan was responsible for the appointment and development of numerous assistant coaches, three of whom – Luke Beveridge, Damien Hardwick and Adam Simpson – went on to become AFL premiership coaches. After temporarily serving as Hawthorn’s GM of Football in mid-2013, Fagan was appointed permanently at season’s end, finally landing the role for which Clarkson had originally sounded him out eight years earlier.
Now established as one of the most universally respected football minds in the game, Fagan went on to oversee the Hawks’ premiership hat trick of 2013-15. Despite this success, Fagan still harboured a desire to coach at senior level himself, and in late-2016 his ambition was realised when he was appointed senior coach of the Brisbane Lions. Now able to fully utilise his talents as a mentor and strategist, Fagan’s tutelage saw the Lions’ young list make enormous developmental strides after a decade in the doldrums.
Fagan’s brilliant work culminated in Brisbane’s stunning 2019 season in which they finished second after the H&A season to qualify for their first finals appearance since 2009, ultimately bowing out after a close Semi Final loss to eventual Grand Finalists GWS. Fagan’s efforts were duly recognised at season’s end, when he became the first Tasmanian bestowed with the Allan Jeans Award by his peers as Senior Coach of the Year. He subsequently led the Lions to Top 4 finishes in the following three seasons, however they were unable to progress further than a Preliminary Final on any occasion, including suffering a heartbreaking one point
home Semi Final loss to the Western Bulldogs in 2021.
Chris Fagan’s contribution to football in Tasmania and interstate elevated him to legend status in the Tasmanian Football Hall Of Fame. But his greatest achievement was yet to come.
The Hawthorn racism scandal broke out in late 2022, where Fagan was stood down from the club. After coming back from these tough times, 2023 would turn out to be Fagan’s most successful year in charge at the Lions so far, losing a classic grand final for the ages, by 4 pts.
2024 season started, with the racism scandal near reaching the point of no return, at the federal courts. The Lions started the season 0-3, 2-5, and sat at 13th half way through the season. They had a long list of acl injuries. They were dropping away late in games at an alarming consistency. The media had called for Fagan’s head, but the club had backed him in. None other, perhaps, more than former premiership coaching legend, Leigh Matthews. In Leigh’s eyes, Chris Fagan was already a premiership coach.
At the mid season bye, Fagan took the mantra to the players, ‘if you’re standing on thin ice, you might as well dance.’ And the club didn’t look back with Nine in a row. This was followed by a further few alarming late game fade-outs, which threatened to derail their season once more, finishing the season in just fifth spot. Fagan would win the Alan Jeans coach of the year for a rare second time. The coach would then go on to lead his team through one of the most incredible finals runs in history. A finals series that would flip the club’s seasoned story of bad late game fade-outs on its head, and bring the ‘dancing on thin ice’ phrase to full voice.
The first final would see the team break records, keeping the opposition to 0 for almost one half of footy. 44 points down in the semi final, the Lions produced an all time classic comeback. A week later this was followed by the 25 point comeback against the Cats in what was labelled as a coaching masterclass. A game which in the lead up, Fagan was heavily scrutinised for his apparent ‘lack of tactical nous’. But no the Lions and Fagan went on to win the prelim, and were back with the chance of redemption at the big dance. And oh boy did they dance. Fagan commenced the game as the games eldest grand final coach in history, and finished as an AFL Premiership Coach. The same title, Leigh Matthews had been calling him all along. And that’s how the story would end thus far, Leigh Matthews and Chris Fagan, one legend to another, in a warm embrace. A legend story, about a legend coach was complete.
Is Chris Fagan’s journey to AFL Premiership coach, the best coaching story in the history of our great game?
From humble beginnings, born in Queenstown Tasmania in 1961, where his father was a noted player and coach.
After playing with Lyell-Gormanston, Chris’ first taste of senior football came with TFL side Hobart in 1978. Fagan was invited to trial with VFL club Essendon, however the Bombers opted not to retain him and he returned to Tasmania.
Fagan quickly developed into one of the premier rover/forwards in the TFL, and by the age of 20 he had won a premiership, a senior Best & Fairest award and his first of many state representative honours.
When his teaching career saw him transferred north to Sheffield in 1988, Fagan continued his playing career with Devonport, a move which resulted in his second premiership medallion.
Fagan turned to coaching, after retiring initially remaining at North Hobart as an assistant under Mark Yeates as the club claimed backto- back premierships in 1991-92.
During the 1997 season, Fagan circulated his resume around every AFL club in the hopes of gaining an opportunity within the system, a move which paid off when he landed the role of Melbourne reserves coach under Neale Daniher.
Fagan remained at Melbourne as an assistant coach until the end of 2004, at which time he was presented with the opportunity to delve into football administration courtesy of newly-appointed Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson. Clarkson and Fagan had become good friends while at Melbourne in the late-90s, and now Clarkson head-hunted him to become his General Manager of Football Operations. Initially Fagan declined, reluctant to desert Daniher who had given him his break into AFL football, and in fact he even took on the corresponding role with the Demons in 2005. However, Daniher’s sacking by Melbourne in mid-2007 broke that link, and in 2008 Fagan joined Clarkson at Hawthorn, albeit in a slightly different role as Director of Coaching.
In this capacity Fagan was responsible for the appointment and development of numerous assistant coaches, three of whom – Luke Beveridge, Damien Hardwick and Adam Simpson – went on to become AFL premiership coaches. After temporarily serving as Hawthorn’s GM of Football in mid-2013, Fagan was appointed permanently at season’s end, finally landing the role for which Clarkson had originally sounded him out eight years earlier.
Now established as one of the most universally respected football minds in the game, Fagan went on to oversee the Hawks’ premiership hat trick of 2013-15. Despite this success, Fagan still harboured a desire to coach at senior level himself, and in late-2016 his ambition was realised when he was appointed senior coach of the Brisbane Lions. Now able to fully utilise his talents as a mentor and strategist, Fagan’s tutelage saw the Lions’ young list make enormous developmental strides after a decade in the doldrums.
Fagan’s brilliant work culminated in Brisbane’s stunning 2019 season in which they finished second after the H&A season to qualify for their first finals appearance since 2009, ultimately bowing out after a close Semi Final loss to eventual Grand Finalists GWS. Fagan’s efforts were duly recognised at season’s end, when he became the first Tasmanian bestowed with the Allan Jeans Award by his peers as Senior Coach of the Year. He subsequently led the Lions to Top 4 finishes in the following three seasons, however they were unable to progress further than a Preliminary Final on any occasion, including suffering a heartbreaking one point
home Semi Final loss to the Western Bulldogs in 2021.
Chris Fagan’s contribution to football in Tasmania and interstate elevated him to legend status in the Tasmanian Football Hall Of Fame. But his greatest achievement was yet to come.
The Hawthorn racism scandal broke out in late 2022, where Fagan was stood down from the club. After coming back from these tough times, 2023 would turn out to be Fagan’s most successful year in charge at the Lions so far, losing a classic grand final for the ages, by 4 pts.
2024 season started, with the racism scandal near reaching the point of no return, at the federal courts. The Lions started the season 0-3, 2-5, and sat at 13th half way through the season. They had a long list of acl injuries. They were dropping away late in games at an alarming consistency. The media had called for Fagan’s head, but the club had backed him in. None other, perhaps, more than former premiership coaching legend, Leigh Matthews. In Leigh’s eyes, Chris Fagan was already a premiership coach.
At the mid season bye, Fagan took the mantra to the players, ‘if you’re standing on thin ice, you might as well dance.’ And the club didn’t look back with Nine in a row. This was followed by a further few alarming late game fade-outs, which threatened to derail their season once more, finishing the season in just fifth spot. Fagan would win the Alan Jeans coach of the year for a rare second time. The coach would then go on to lead his team through one of the most incredible finals runs in history. A finals series that would flip the club’s seasoned story of bad late game fade-outs on its head, and bring the ‘dancing on thin ice’ phrase to full voice.
The first final would see the team break records, keeping the opposition to 0 for almost one half of footy. 44 points down in the semi final, the Lions produced an all time classic comeback. A week later this was followed by the 25 point comeback against the Cats in what was labelled as a coaching masterclass. A game which in the lead up, Fagan was heavily scrutinised for his apparent ‘lack of tactical nous’. But no the Lions and Fagan went on to win the prelim, and were back with the chance of redemption at the big dance. And oh boy did they dance. Fagan commenced the game as the games eldest grand final coach in history, and finished as an AFL Premiership Coach. The same title, Leigh Matthews had been calling him all along. And that’s how the story would end thus far, Leigh Matthews and Chris Fagan, one legend to another, in a warm embrace. A legend story, about a legend coach was complete.
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