Chris Fagan is the AFL’s coach of the year.
He is almost certainly going to be the man that leads the Brisbane Lions to their first finals campaign in a decade.
And it’s not just September in Brisbane’s sights, but a top-four finish and a double chance beckons if the Lions can just keep winning.
It’s hard not to be excited about the year the Lions have had.
For a few seasons now, they have threatened to break out and boost up the ladder, slowly piecing the right team together.
And finally we are watching a young and talented Brisbane outfit reap the rewards for effort.
There have been plenty of great additions to their line-up over the past few years – no bigger coup than midfielder Lachie Neale, who is enjoying his best season in the sun.
The former Docker has added class and flair to complement the toughness of captain Dayne Zorko and fellow midfielder Mitch Robinson.
The Lions also threw a lifeline to former Gold Coast Sun Jarryd Lyons, who was delisted at the end of the last season for some bizarre reason.
He’s exactly the kind of the player the Suns need right now, but instead, he’s repaying the faith Brisbane showed in him.
Lyons hasn’t missed a game so far this season and is averaging 22 disposals, 4.7 clearances and 5.4 tackles a game.
We all know how good Charlie Cameron is, but it would be criminal to not give him a mention.
The man is a match-winner and provides a touch of magic.
His 33 goals for 2019 is the most of any Brisbane player, and they come with a touch of flair and entertainment.
And finally, the kids have notched up some good game time and are stepping up as the game demands of them – Cam Rayner, Hugh McCluggage, Eric Hipwood and Noah Answerth just to name a few.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Eric Hipwood’s cameo performance against the Dees in Round 15 was just one of a few signs that the young guns are playing their role in the Lions’ revival.
When that game was well and truly in the balance, Hipwood kicked four goals in a 15-minute burst during the third quarter at the Gabba to help inspire his side to victory.
It’s all come together on field for the Lions, but their good form isn’t based on talent alone.
It has been fuelled by belief and spirit injected into this club since the day coach Chris Fagan walked through the doors.
Fagan’s care for his players can be compared to the relationship between a father and his sons.
The time he takes to check in with his players, console them and ensure them they’re on the right track has been invaluable to the rebuilding of this club both on and off the field.
And the time he’s taken to connect with his players is building a wonderful bond among this playing group and resulting in inspiring performances by the team on a weekly basis.
There have been plenty of examples of Fagan’s attentiveness to his players since arriving in 2017, but none has captured the hearts of onlookers like his interaction with Cam Rayner following Brisbane’s close loss to North Melbourne at the Gabba last year.
Rayner had the chance to win the Round 20 match late for the Lions but he missed the final shot on goal, resulting in a three-point loss.
Immediately after the final siren, Fagan made a beeline for the shattered Rayner and consoled him as the pair walked off the ground with the rest of the team, their arms around each other.
The heart-warming exchange was all the proof you needed that the Lions were on the right track to something great.
And here we are.
Brisbane sit in third place on the ladder with six rounds to go.
And to think all this was done by not only an untried coach, but one who has never played a game of AFL in his life.
Someone should pass that onto Carlton’s football director Chris Judd, who embarrassed interim coach David Teague with his comments on Footy Classified last Monday.
He said, “We (Carlton) want an experienced coach that can takes us to the next step, we don’t want someone with training wheels on.
“He’s (Teague) getting some really good experience now… in effect he coaches his own team, but it’s not really the same as being an actual senior coach of a football team with the pressure that comes with that.”
That’s a nice slap in the face to a man who’s given Carlton fans more enjoyment and excitement in the last four weeks than former coach Brendon Bolton did over almost four seasons.
And how did Teague respond to those comments?
With another win, this time against Sydney at the SCG.
Judd only has to look as far as Teague, Fagan and North Melbourne interim coach Rhyce Shaw to see how much a little belief can do for a football club both on and off the field.
Despite a last-gasp loss for Shaw’s North Melbourne on the weekend, his players appear fonder of him the longer he is in charge.
Journalist Jay Clark told Triple M on Friday that Shaw is in the “box seat” to be appointed North Melbourne coach beyond 2019, largely thanks to the support from his players.
“Most importantly here, he’s got all 44 players in his back pocket,” Clark said.
“How is a coaching selection panel going to say to Jack Ziebell and 40 of his team-mates, ‘Nah boys, I think you got this wrong’ when all the players are saying, ‘We love him. He’s got us playing tremendous football’.”
It’s the spirit and belief Shaw has injected into this group that has boosted morale and seen North take big scalps in Collingwood and Richmond.
That same spirit that’s seen David Teague lead Carlton to three victories from five starts.
And that spirit has been the blueprint for Chris Fagan and his men to charge towards their first finals campaign in a decade.
Of course, performing well on the field is important.
But it’s the boost off the field that’s making the magic happen.
Aus in Engerland
Guest
ChrisH, you say... 'The big question when appointing a coach is not “Will we win under him? Will make the finals under him?” but “Can he win us a flag?”. That’s all that matters when appointing a coach.' I have to disagree with the totality/black and white of this. I think the big question in appointing a coach is more 'can he/she get the absolute best possible out of that playing group', while the historic measure of a clubs success is 'how many premierships'. At the end of the day, some team lists are better than others. That comes down to a mix of what the recruiters have done and what the coach gets out of them. By your measure Clarkson would be a rubbish coach if he was at Melbourne from 2005-2014 then at the Suns or St Kilda from 2015-2019. No-one could take those lists to a flag. As they say, you can't polish a turd. Even as a WC supporter I don't think of John Worsfold as a great coach. Fabulous player, but unimaginative and stodgy as a coach. Yet he's a flag winner. The coaches over the past few years who have got the absolute best out of the playing group they had/have are Roos, Clarkson, Longmire, Buckley and Fagan. Fagan hasn't won a flag, but I don't think many at Brisbane would be complaining at what he has achieved over the past three years. An obvious plan that he sold to the club and the players.
Billbob
Roar Rookie
Hhhmmmm I don’t think so lolol
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Billybob, we all thought you committed avatar suicide after the Geelong smashing. You missed out on some serious ribbing. If the Tigers make it to meet us in in the finals, I think there will be a repeat performance. I think the same for WCE.
Billbob
Roar Rookie
Plus I said this would start happening lol watch this train start rolling
Billbob
Roar Rookie
Been overseas
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Where you been Billybob? You only show up when Tigers going well and quickly disappear when they stumble. Does that also show the boys from the men?
User
Roar Rookie
Cal is an expert on the tac cup but beyond that he isn’t the go to guy you are wanting. He’s based in Victoria and only sees games that have been recorded and hears opinions we can all be privvy to. Road to the draft is a average production at best.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Probably the other crucial factor in snagging a flag is the leadership of the playing group. The dogged determination to win the flag. You loose Pendles this week, see what happens.
Billy Mumphrey
Roar Rookie
I'll take Cal Twomey any day. Find some of his stuff and acknowledge when you get it wrong.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Daniel Rich plays his 200th game this weekend. Reading an article about the impact Fages has had on Richy since his arrival. A guy who for long time had been so inconsistent, now is one of our most consistent. The change, absolute belief from the coach and absolute care about his players that you just can’t but do everything possible for your coach.
1DER
Guest
Andrews and Hipwood were different drafts. Andrews 2014 when academy players had to be a nominated, with the bidding process finalised before the national draft - finally being taken by Brisbane at selection 61. Hipwood was the 2015 national draft which was the year that live trading of academy players was introduced. Richmond nominated Hipwood at selection 14 which was matched by The Lions using selections 36 and 37.
Billbob
Roar Rookie
Recon the tigers will be there waiting lol the season shaping up nice......sort out the boys from the men....love to have another crack at the cats again
Downsey
Roar Pro
DF wanted Neale around and backed him in. Ideally we'd have kept Neale and recruited Hogan. As it stands, Hogan is essential to our forward structure, hence why it hurts to have him out, even if he's not kicking goals when he's in. But, we're yet to find a suitable replacement for Neale - I'd try Blakeley next. Needed Lobb, who's developing reasonably well, for ruck and forward options. But, none of that equates to Neale. I've always said he's as good as Fyfe because he's a sure bet. He puts in good numbers every round of every season.
User
Roar Rookie
Hardball gets pod or listiqs? Both good but none have any experts btw it's like believing the news on junk time pod. Nah I'm bang on the money sorry mate, glad for you to argue otherwise though.
Mick_Lions
Roar Pro
Neale is on record as saying that Fagan was a huge influence in his decision. Lachie already has a cert 2 in coaching and believed Fagan would be the perfect mentor in his aspirations to one day be a senior coach himself.
Mick_Lions
Roar Pro
No one else would have asked Hodgey other than Fages
Birdman
Roar Rookie
unlikely that anyone else but Fagan would have thought to ask him. I'm delighted for both of them that's it's worked out so spectacularly well. How good would it be for Hodgey to win a 5th flag in his last game? Would put to bed the Judd v Hodge comparisons forever.
Billy Mumphrey
Roar Rookie
Guy not girl. As a Lions fan I've followed the draft closely while we've been on the bottom of the ladder. You're wrong by the way. Hippy was rated around 10-15 and Andrews much much later than that. Funny I was listening to a podcast recently where they redo the top 10 draft for a bit of fun and one of the experts forgot about Andrews completely. I'll go by the ratings of some of the draft experts.
User
Roar Rookie
Hmm trust my understanding or the faceless guy or girl on internet. I'm right, you continue trying argue from a position of zero strength.
Larry1950
Guest
I'm not throwing this out there to be nasty DonFreo but it's interesting at this stage of the season to revisit the views of various posts pre-season re draft swaps for Lachie Neale & who were/would be winners/losers. Interested on your take in hindsight on the outcome and what output the dockers have got from their recruits/draftees/swaps before the season kicked off. Freo appear to be rocks or diamonds, more rocks, while the Lions, barring a cup let of lapses have been fairly consistent even in defeat. When Freo beat the lions by that point I thought they might make a run but it hasn't eventuated so was it injuries or is the Lions list just better? I thought with Hipwood, Hodge & McLuggage out last round they'd be susceptible so they're probably a bit better than I thought. They're bound to drop a bit at some stage with all the kids in there but I'm surprised at their energy & consistency so far, let's hope it's not a quick exit out the back door if they do qualify, hope they avoid the Tigers.