Fagan steps down after leading Brisbane to third straight AFL title

Chris Fagan has stepped down as Brisbane Lions coach after leading the club to its third consecutive AFL premiership. The 65-year-old informed Brisbane that he would leave before the end of his contract to return to Melbourne with his wife, Ursula. The club said it respected his decision and would appoint a successor in due course.

Fagan’s final match was Brisbane’s 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89) win over Fremantle. It was the Lions’ third successive victory in an AFL decider, following premierships against Sydney and Geelong. Fagan coached Brisbane from 2017 and leaves with 243 games in charge and a winning record of 61.32%.

He surpassed Leigh Matthews as the club’s most experienced coach and guided the Lions to eight consecutive finals series. His tenure began with a wooden spoon and only five wins in each of his first two seasons. Brisbane later reached the 2023 grand final, losing to Collingwood by four points, before winning the premiership the following year and retaining it twice.

Fagan said the coaching role had demanded his complete commitment but that he was proud of what the club had achieved. Chair Andrew Wellington praised his commitment to developing people, while chief executive Sam Graham said his greatest legacy was the environment he created. The club will now seek a coach for a list attempting to win a fourth successive premiership.

The supplied material names football boss Danny Daly, assistants Cameron Bruce and Dale Morris, and former head coaches Nathan Buckley, Adam Simpson and Simon Goodwin as possible candidates.