Fagan’s fearless five: The quintet of young Lions starring on the big finals stage
Forged in the fires of finals football, these five young cubs are showing the competition what they’re made of. And Chris Fagan will need them all at their best in Saturday’s grand final.
They are Chris Fagan’s Fearless Five.
The Brisbane Lions’ youngest and most inexperienced group of players who continue to shine bright under the spotlight of September football.
This quintet of unsung heroes has defied the pressure of expectation to become the bedrock of Brisbane’s grand final redemption story.
Forged in the fires of finals football, these young cubs have already left an indelible mark on the competition – and their job is far from finished.
READ MORE
'I'LL PLAY BUNYIP TWOS': WHEN PAPLEY ALMOST QUIT AFL FOR FAMILY
SAM MITCHELL: WHAT TEAMMATES REALLY THOUGHT OF HIM
INSIDE THE HEARTBREAKING END OF A COLLINGWOOD AFL DREAM
STEVIE J: THE CUTTING SPRAY THAT SPARKED CATS DYNASTY
ASHCROFT
Will Ashcroft, 20, was born for the big stage. The son of triple-premiership Lion Marcus Ashcroft, he is the heir apparent to Lachie Neale and a future Brownlow Medallist in the making.
“I love the big moments, when the pressure is on,” he says.
“All the work I put in behind the scenes I do so that hopefully I can thrive in those circumstances. I always attack them head-on.
“I’ve never really felt the pressure to be honest.”
WILMOT
Two years ago Darcy Wilmot, 20, made his AFL debut in an elimination final. The first three games of his career were finals. When he runs onto the MCG on Saturday, it will be his 56th game and 10th in September.
For context, Carlton captain Patrick Cripps – who on Monday night won his second Brownlow Medal as the AFL’s best and fairest player – has played in just four finals throughout his 207-game career.
Wilmot, perhaps the competition’s most underrated running defender, averages one final every six games. This 20 year old has ice in his veins and a carefree swagger that makes him popular with his teammates.
He takes his own pillow with him on away trips and his fridge is perpetually stocked with Pepsi Max, his favourite beverage.
“He loves to do things his own way does Motty,” jokes teammate Conor McKenna.
“Motty is one person you can’t really give advice to. He lives life his own way and does things his own way, which is fun to watch.”
FLETCHER
Jaspa Fletcher, 20, is the son of 107-game Brisbane Bear, Adrian Fletcher. Softly spoken and supremely talented, the young winger has stepped into one of the hardest roles in football and made it look effortless.
If not for his late long-range goal in the semi-final comeback win over the Giants, his Lions would not be preparing to play in another grand final. In 41 career games, seven of those have been finals.
LOHMANN
Kai Lohmann, 21, is Brisbane’s Greatest Showman. From the moment he arrived at the club he attached himself to the hip of Charlie Cameron and vowed to follow in the two-time All-Australian’s footsteps.
He is at his happiest when sitting on the shoulders of an opponent; his shock of blonde hair pointing towards the sky as he pulls down a spectacular mark that for him now seems simply standard.
He brings the energy and the enthusiasm. He nearly decapitated Lachie Neale in celebrating his maiden finals goal against Carlton.
“It wasn’t planned to jump over him and tackle him like that … I was actually a bit scared I hurt him, but we were able to have a laugh afterwards which was nice,” Lohmann jokes.
“It was a pretty cool moment for me. Lachie has been huge for me over the last couple of years. He’s been such a great mentor.”
MORRIS
Then there is the youngest Lion cub, 19-year-old Logan Morris. The boy who debuted with a belly full of Maccas and in Ashcroft’s size-too-small boots.
He is the 2023 draftee who was never meant to be here, at least not yet. But when Lincoln McCarthy’s ACL injury ruled him out for the season, Morris was tapped to fill the void and he has done so with aplomb.
“Logan is a really good mate of mine outside of the club,” Lohmann says.
“He’s a very funny bloke and someone I like to take the piss out of every day.
“We always hang s*** on each other and try to make each other better. Hopefully we can play the next few years together and really build on that connection in the forward line.”
Can you feel it? The weight of pressure and expectation that rests on the shoulders of five youngsters who average less than 36 AFL games between them? Because they can’t.
It has been 21 years since the Lions last tasted premiership success.
Lohmann was three months old when Leigh Matthews and Michael Voss lifted the premiership cup on September 27, 2003.
Ashcroft, Fletcher, Wilmot and Morris had not yet been born.
It’s not ignorance or indifference that makes them so confident. The Fearless Five have earned their place on AFL’s biggest stage.
In the crucible of finals football, a proud coach’s young Lion cubs have stood tall.
And he is confident they will do so again, for one last time in 2024.
“I’m just so happy with all of our young guys, what they’ve been able to contribute for pretty much most of the year,” Fagan said.
“They look like they’re going to be fairly good footballers for the Brisbane Lions for a long time to come and these experiences they’re getting now, they’re worth their weight in gold.”
More Coverage
Tiger delight as North pays heavy price for final draft night pick
On a night where little caused a surprise, North Melbourne waited until the last moment to pull a stunner, paying a significant price and taking an even more significant risk.
‘Absolute blunder’: Essendon’s ‘staggering’ draft move smashed
The Bombers had a relatively quiet trade period by their standards, with their focus on Isaac Kako. Now after securing the small forward, their method has been whacked by a draft expert.