Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan thinks team’s contested style created record free-kick count

Most think the umpires got it wrong paying a record 63 free kicks last weekend but not Brisbane coach Chris Fagan.

Tom Mitchell and Lachie Neale go at it in Launceston. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan concedes he’s prepared for more than a normal amount of free kicks in Lions games because of the contested way his side plays after a record 63 were paid in the clash with Hawthorn last week.

The umpiring was heavily scrutinised in the aftermath of the match that recorded a 10-year high for frees, which were split 36-27 between the two teams, with the larger number going to Hawthorn.

Two in particular drew the ire of many, with off-the-ball pushes paid against Brownlow medallists Lachie Neale and Tom Mitchell considered absolute howlers.

But while he conceded the number of frees his team gave away was “too many”, rather than suggest the umpires had got it wrong, Fagan said that nature of his team’s game style lent itself to potentially big free-kick numbers.

There’s been an average of 46 free kicks in games involving the Lions this season, with Brisbane giving away 237 and receiving 225, which made them one of nine teams with a differential of 15 or less through the opening 10 rounds.

“We get about as many as we give away. You always like to get more than you give away, but our games tend to be fairly contested sorts of games,” Fagan said on Friday.

“And there‘s lots of physical contact that goes on in those games.

Most free kicks in a V/AFL match in the 21st century…

69 - Sydney v Port Adelaide (R2 2008)
65 - Hawthorn v Geelong (R1 2009)
64 - West Coast v Geelong (R20 2012)
63 - HAWTHORN V BRISBANE (R10 2022)
63 - Richmond v Western Bulldogs (R3 2013)#AFLHawksLions

— Oliver Gigacz (@OliverGigacz) May 22, 2022

“I just think it’s an actual thing that there’ll be more free kicks in the game and there’s a chance that we might be in the negative from time to time.

“It was too many, 36 free hits to start the play up, and no doubt contributed to what was a narrow loss in the end.”

Fagan said a lack of smiles and jokes before a team meeting on Friday convinced him his men were dialled in to bounce back from last week‘s shock loss when they play GWS on Saturday.

Brisbane regains forward Dan McStay for the clash, while key defender Marcus Adams comes back from health and safety protocols and youngster Deven Robertson steps in to replace star midfielder Hugh McCluggage.

“Dev came in to the side last year and performed some really good roles,” Fagan said.

“We like his ability to run and to tag if we decided to do that.”

Brisbane gave away 36 free kicks last week. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Last week’s three-point loss was just the second for the season for the Lions and Fagan is confident there will be a response against the Giants at the Gabba, conceding “team defence” needed a renewed focus.

“They weren’t too jovial when they walked into the team meeting this morning, which is usually a good sign that their minds are on the job,” Fagan said.

“You’ve got to move on pretty quickly. Learn the lessons.

“I look at our group this year, we’re eight wins and two losses and our two losses have been by 10 points at Geelong and five points at Launceston. We’re not too far off having had a perfect season.

“We’re averaging 69 points against and we conceded 117 last week. There were some elements of our team defence away from the contest that let us down.

“They’re effort things and we’ve had a look at those this week and the boys understand what happened.

“Hopefully, we can’t have that happen again tomorrow.”

Originally published as Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan thinks team’s contested style created record free-kick count