Coach’s Clipboard: Q&A with Brisbane coach Chris Fagan ahead of the 2022 season

A fit Lachie Neale will help, but how can Brisbane finally take the next step? Coach Chris Fagan speaks exclusively on the plans, pre-season and young Lions ready to roar.

After sliding into the top-four with an epic finish to the home and away season, Brisbane burnt all its goodwill in the space of two finals game, bundled out in straight sets.

Coach Chris Fagan has the weaponry at his disposal to put together a run at the premiership, but what needs to happen for them to finally climb the hill again?

Stream every match of every round of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

Chris Honnery goes one-on-one with Fagan to find out who is burning it up and what his plans are for season 2022 in the next edition of our Coach’s Clipboard series.

Coach Chris Fagan has lifted the lid on the Lions’ plans for 2022. Picture: Getty Images

Who has been setting the training track alight, Chris?

For me, the thing that has stood out is that a high percentage of the players have come back in really good shape. Because of that, we’re able to ramp things up on the things we train pretty quickly which is great. They’ve been a group that’s done that really well for the past three years. It doesn’t look to me like they’ve dropped the ball at all. In fact, watching them at work, they’ve demonstrated signs they’re a really committed group and want to continue to improve. I feel like the group is in a really good space.

What does that say about the drive and desire for success among the players?

It says that we’re on the right track. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. We’ve been getting closer every year and it’s always those last few steps that seem to be the hardest. We’re in the process of trying to make those and they (the players) know it and so they’re motivation level is high.

The Lions must put a heartbreaking one-point semi final loss behind them. Picture: Getty Images

Speaking of those final steps, does the semi-final loss to the Dogs still hurt?

All finals losses hurt. The thing when the margin is that small, they’re games that can go either way. But to me, it’s like just get over it and move on and get better. What’s the point in sitting around sooking about it when it’s done. All you can do is take the lessons from it and just know that all those experiences harden you and prepare you going forward. They’re only a negative experience if you dwell on it too long. We know last year that our best was at a very high level, in fact the highest level that we’ve ever played at. At the end of the home-and-away season, we had the best percentage when five or so years ago, we had the worst percentage of all time. We’ve improved remarkably over the course of the last five years and we don’t get caught up in one result, as disappointing as it is at the time.

So the players can take confidence out of that loss?

The last three years, the teams that have beaten us have been grand finalists so we’ve always been up against the best teams in the finals that we’ve played. We’ve been incredibly close to being in three prelim finals in a row. You can look at our finals record as a negative but we choose to say that’s a positive. From where we’ve come from, that’s a massive positive. We know that winning one (a premiership) does take time and you’ve got to have some disappointment to get there. If you go through history, there’s been a build up to the point where they’ve been able to win one. You only have to look at Richmond, who for three years in a row got knocked out in elimination finals. It’s all part and parcel of it. I’d be more disappointed if we weren’t making finals.

Will Lachie Neale return to his Brownlow Medal-winning form in 2022? Picture: Getty Images

If you could pinpoint one thing to improve during the finals, what would it be?

Probably composure under pressure. In a couple of those games, composure under pressure would have made all the difference because we created enough opportunities for ourselves to win those games, which is a positive in itself. We just didn’t quite finish our work. Whether that be accuracy for goal, or hitting a target inside-50, just that composure under pressure. We’ve definitely gotten better at it, we just have a little bit to go. Part of it is the experience of playing in finals but the other part is not ignoring those lessons in the finals so you come back as the best version of yourself the next time we get another opportunity. In saying that, we’ve got to play well enough to play finals again. We can’t get the order wrong or else we won’t play finals. We just need to fix those little things, improve some areas of the game plan and win enough games again to give ourselves another chance. If you keep turning up, you eventually get there.

Injuries didn’t really help in 2021 but seeing the likes of Cam Rayner, Noah Answerth, Eric Hipwood and Nakia Cockatoo on track for next year must excite you?

We had a bit more adversity with injury last year, there’s no doubt about that and that was costly for us to some degree. You look at the two teams who made the grand final and they had the best teams with the healthiest lists. No Rayner, no McStay for finals, no Hipwood, they could have made a difference but they weren’t there. What we did get the opportunity to do was to play those other boys who now have finals experience which will improve our depth. Teams win matches but squads win premierships. If anything, last year we may not have had the depth of experience in finals but at least those boys now have it. It’s all part of the growth process growing that critical mass of about 30 players so they can just come in and play their role and do so with confidence and competence.

Stacks on with Darcy Wilmot's mates! #AFLDraftpic.twitter.com/HXy2VWTAm0

— AFL (@AFL) November 24, 2021

Speaking of confidence, one of your first round draft picks, Darcy Wilmot, seems like he’s ready to play in the AFL. What excites you about him?

He seems like a spontaneous, honest, excited sort of player. I loved his reaction on draft night and I don’t think too much is going to worry him. From our perspective, we’re just trying to add a bit more pace to our team around the ground and he brings that. Especially his ability to rebound the ball. In defence, he’s a metres-gained type player. When he gets the ball, he runs and carries and then uses it and before you know it, he’s 80 metres up the field. He’s also brave in the air so he’s got some attributes that we like and we think he’ll help us going forward.

Lions draft picks Kai Lohmann and Darcy Wilmot have impressed Fagan. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

What about another of your first round picks, Kai Lohmann, who comes from an area you’ve had success in drafting kids from – central Victoria?

He’s a versatile player and plays on most parts of the ground. Initially, he looks like a high half-forward, wingman type. He’s got great speed and great endurance and can jump up and take a mark for anyone his size. He’s got a few tricks to play AFL footy.

To finish up on, what are your goals or expectations for the 2022 season?

You do a number of things. You set yourself a task to be in the best shape you can be physically and in terms of your game plan at the start of the season. You want to get a good start and you want to try and win enough games to make finals and try and win enough games to finish top four. That’s where our minds are at. We’re just getting ready for Round 1 and we know if we’re in good shape, the team has shown over the last three years, they can be as competitive as anyone. We’re a consistent team but we just need to go out there and do it all again to give ourselves another chance. In terms of setting targets for premierships, that’s not how you go. You just climb the mountain gradually and know what the steps are to get up there.