Chris Fagan signs two-year extension with Lions

When there's no threat of losing your job, people become complacent. There's no urgency. Some of these coaches and CEOs operate as though they're in a government job. Wouldn't cut it in any other professional league in the world. These multi-year rebuilds where repeated failure is excused are a cop out. Failure is fine, but I see Carlton and Fremantle make the same mistakes, lose in the same fashion that they've done so for several years. I see no improvement. As I said, stability is a consequence of success. Stability isn't a precondition for success.

I attended the Blues vs Suns game at Metricon stadium this year where I struck a conversation with some old timer wearing a Lions cap. He was very bullish about their chances on making the finals next year. Great to see such optimism returning to Queensland supporters.

It's good to see a team building and making improvements. It does seem to me that you guys are on a similar trajectory that we were on. My measure of success was to continuously improve. As long as we won more games than we did previously, and improved percentage year on year, I was satisfied with the progress. Success takes time, particularly if you're starting from a low mark.

Rick, Port should be doing better with their list and they had a decent run with injury this year. Hinkley needs to perform next year as does Pyke but at least Pyke has the injury excuse.

It shows a real lack of desire to bring success. It smacks of CEOs and board members saving their jobs/positions by not admitting fault. There’s this misguided notion that stability is a component of success. Sacking a coach as a knee-jerk reaction to one big loss, or one bad year is the antithesis of success. The thinking that simply changing the coach will bring success actually sets the club back further. I know, as a Melbourne supporter, we sacked Neale Daniher as a reaction in 2007, and it set us back for over a decade. Richmond is the other case in point. Harwick was almost a dead man walking in 2016. The board kept faith in him, but made changes elsewhere and look what happened. There's a difference between a wholesale, considered refresh of staff to a reactionary sacking.

Freo has 2.

By my count the NFL has 17/32 teams turning over coaches since 2016. The AFL has turned over 3/18 coaches. Keep in mind that Goodwin was part of a succession plan at Melbourne at the end of 2016 and effectively coached the side throughout 2016. It's quite remarkable this stability especially with sides that have perennially missed finals or in rebuilds where the goalposts keep shifting every year. I can't think of such stability in any league in the world. It's not a good thing. It shows a real lack of desire to bring success. It smacks of CEOs and board members saving their jobs/positions by not admitting fault. There's this misguided notion that stability is a component of success. No. Stability is a consequence of sustain success. You don't sack good coaches.

No.... he just can't coach. History will prove me right again. There is not one thing to like about Carlton's play this year. Not one.

Do you honestly believe there is such a thing as overrating a list? David King would have some believe this ludicrous notion. It's also a convenient excuse when things go wrong, along with filler material for Slobbo and Whately on Fox Sports. Hawthorn, Sydney, Geelong, Westcoast etc. certainly don't believe in this rubbish. I see Port as being bold this year. It failed — Hinkley and Co will learn from it and move on. Conversely, Saint Kilda have a $#!t coach. Nothing but a sacking will help them. Ambition and optimism are two entirely different beasts. The most pessimistic person can still have ambition; however, they see the difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Don't believe for a second, as a fan; you can't influence your club. I'll give you the black & white version: if enough fans believe what I said, crowd numbers increase, along with wins at home statistically. The bandwagon effect kicks in (I know how much you love this) resulting in higher numbers and so on. The Socratic method, although not directly relevant here, is pertinent by virtue of being challenged. I know I've risen to the challenge many times in my field of study by this exact method. I challenge Fagon, Zorko and all the Lions' fans to reasons why they can't make the eight in 2019 in a Salary Capped environment. I challenge Fagon, in particular, to reasons why he can't develop his list further by utilising free agency better, instead of listening to others complain about it. I challenge Fagon, to continue expanding his defensive capacity, allowing greater versatility back-of-centre, therefore, mitigating against injury. If my challenging comments result in less contempt, then my job is done. If I've inspired some to become more optimistic in their view of this great club, then my job is done. What won't help is anything you just said.

Sorry matti, not a clue. Bigfooty might know.

Well they seem to have found a gem in Fagan - unlike Bolton, he appears to have a high emotional IQ and can really form a father-son type bond with his young players. Perhaps it's not Bolton's fault - he is a bit too young (and short) to command that fatherly respect.

Paul- out of interest do you know what Millar said to zorko in first derby? Heard mark Duffield say that it is apparently something pretty bad but would not expand beyond that.

The Bulldogs actually made the finals the year before saluting. Different situation. But that doesn't suit, does it?

There are many people who've failed by being too ambitious. Clubs, too. Port Adelaide and St Kilda have suffered from overrating their list and making poor decisions as a result. Arguably Brisbane were the worst offenders in their 2009 recruitment of Brendan Fevola. In any case, it's somewhat irrelevant here. Rick's opinion, Paul's opinion and my opinion have no impact on Brisbane's future performance. So we might as well all just say what we think. I think they have maybe a 10% chance of playing finals in 2019. Probably a higher chance of finishing bottom four again, particularly if injuries hit they way they hit certain other clubs this year.

Who cares if it's a touch optimistic! Who cares if it's seen as chest-thumping bravado! I've rarely met anyone who has failed by being overly optimistic. However, I've met plenty who fail due to negativity and caution. The Bulldogs were no better one year before making the eight. I don't need to remind anyone what happened in the following year either. Your boys can make the eight. It's as simple as that. Do I think they'll make the eight personally? No idea. What I do know is this years final eight has a lot of teams no one expected to be there. Excuses breed contempt. I can smell it a mile away with Carlton. The Lions are playing attractive attacking football — this, historically, leads to success.

Correction - the AFL pulled Fagan out of Hawthorn for us. And Noble. They never would have come to Brisbane had the AFL not funded their salaries and made the initial approach on our behalf and made it clear they were prepared to pay top dollar to get the best people in place. So in that sense I'm not surprised they're outstanding at their jobs because the AFL went through all 17 other clubs to find the two best individuals. Carlton were left to their own devices. But a club who keeps telling us they've won 16 premierships (1 in the AFL) can surely look after themselves.

As a neutral I'd think the Lions finishing with 9-11 wins in 2019 would be a big stepping stone. Keeping their players would help but listening to Chris Fagan on SEN today he appears to me to be an early Michael Malthouse (way before Carlton picked him) father figure that clubs like Brisbane, Carlton and St Kilda need. Chris Fagan on SEN this morning below. It seems the Lions got the right bloke. https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=266855

Dalgety, how many clubs aren't reliant on their main ruck though? Nankervis, Grundy, Ryder, Jacobs....etc

Is it just possible Rick that the Lions pulled the right bloke out of Hawthorn and the Blues the wrong one?

One big difference for Brisbane supporters will be going to the Gabba with genuine hope heading into almost all home games. It must have been a while since the fans had that, and maybe it started in the latter part of this year.