Chris Fagan to be backed as Brisbane coach as Chris Scott faces tough run ahead

Despite a respected analyst calling for the Lions to make an audacious move for Chris Scott, Brisbane will back their man who has a remarkably similar record to the Cats coach since 2019.

Chris Fagan and Chris Scott.

Chris Fagan took over Brisbane Lions when the club was a basket case.

Players had left in droves, fans weren’t going to games, and the club’s future was questioned.

And this year, amid a massive injury crisis including five season-ending ACLs, the Lions are following the same path as Geelong in 2023, missing the finals on the back of a grand final.

But where the Cats won the flag in 2022, Brisbane was a piece of Jordan De Goey and Nick Daicos magic off jumping up on the premiership dais last year also in the loss to Collingwood in the premiership decider.

This season the Lions have been horrific in their goalkicking accuracy, lost a number of key players, and had their first down year in six seasons to sit 13th on the ladder.

The Lions are having their worst season since 2018. Picture: Getty Images

Chris Scott has his Cats back inside the top eight this year. Picture: Getty Images

On Sunday night on Fox Footy, North Melbourne dual premiership defender and respected analyst David King suggested whether the Lions should “put all the chips” in the Chris Scott basket as a Fagan replacement?

Certainly, there is a strong Lions’ link for Scott, who won two premierships as a player at Brisbane, and now two as a coach at Geelong as part of one of the game’s most glittering recent resumes. But when you take away Fagan’s first two years in charge at Brisbane – when the team was largely in ruins, winning five games each in seasons 2017-18 – Scott and Fagan’s records are, somewhat remarkably, almost identical.

Since 2019, Fagan has chalked up 86 wins, one draw and 42 losses in total, to Scott’s 86 wins, one draw and 43 losses, including finals.

Over the next seven weeks, the Cats have one of the toughest runs in the game against Richmond, Sydney, Carlton, Essendon, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Western Bulldogs in what will be a significant challenge for the Cats after a blistering start to the season.

Currently, Geelong is one of five clubs tied on 28 points to sit just inside the eight, but the big test is coming.

While Scott is rightfully lauded as the best coach in the game, after flag wins in 2011 and 2022, Fagan’s record remains mightily impressive considering the state of the club when he took over.

The Lions took on a complete rebuild, whereas the Cats have renovated on the run.

For comparison, North Melbourne finished 16th in 2017-18 with six wins each year but remain stuck in the doldrums six years later with 22 wins in that time.

Brisbane’s situation this year has been weighed down by the injuries to star playmaker Keidean Coleman, jet midfielder Will Ashcroft, new recruit Tom Doedee, livewire Lincoln McCarthy, and swingman Darcy Gardiner.

And in front of goals this year, the Lions have taken shots in positions rated the second-easiest according to Champion Data, but have ranked the sixth-worst for accuracy.

Chris Fagan is going nowhere next year. Picture: Getty Images

When it comes to conversion, something often underrated in the AFL, the Lions have butchered it.

Joe Daniher has kicked 20 goals from 49 shots, Charlie Cameron has slotted 18 from 43 attempts and Eric Hipwood (11 from 25), Cam Rayner (eight from 17) and Hugh McCluggage (six from 15).

Brisbane extended Fagan’s contract to 2025 early last year, believing the 62-year-old Tasmanian had done an excellent job lifting the club off the canvas, with the help of recruits including Lachie Neale, who has flourished beyond all expectations winning two Brownlow Medals, as well as Daniher and Josh Dunkley.

This year hasn’t gone to plan for Brisbane, but the club’s powerbrokers know Fagan has earned the right to keep the clipboard for another season.

Originally published as Chris Fagan to be backed as Brisbane coach as Chris Scott faces tough run ahead