It was a surreal moment for Beth Fagan to stand on the MCG on Saturday after son Chris had coached Brisbane to the AFL flag
No need for words - for Chris Fagan’s mum Beth, a hug said it all when they met on the MCG on Saturday after Brisbane won the AFL premiership
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There was no need for words when Beth Fagan walked onto the MCG on Saturday to congratulate her son Chris minutes after he lived the dream of a lifetime by becoming an AFL premiership coach.
Even if she did say something, Beth, 86, of Hobart, did not remember, such was the emotion of the moment.
She joined the post-match party on the field as the Lions celebrated their mighty win with teammates, family and friends.
Beth made a bee-line straight to her 63-year-old son Christian in a moment she will never forget.
“We just hugged. I was elated, so very happy for him,” Beth said.
Tasmanian Chris Fagan had just coached the Brisbane Lions to a powerful 60-point win as they smashed the Sydney Swans.
It broke a 21-year flag drought for the Lions, and Fagan re-wrote the history books in becoming AFL’s oldest premiership coach and first not to have played at the highest level.
He defied the odds _ and doubters _ to prove that age and not being a former AFL player were no match for coaching genius.
“I’m just so proud,” Beth said.
Fagan’s mum went last year to watch Brisbane take on Collingwood in the AFL grand final at the MCG when the Lions fell agonisingly short in a four-point thriller.
This year, flanked by her daughter Anne-Maree, they watched as Chris hit new heights in his coaching career.
Beth tried not to get too excited despite the Lions having the game wrapped up heading into the final term.
“I never feel that they’ve got a game wrapped up, even when they are 70 points in front,” she said.
“I just felt maybe at the start of the last quarter we’d have to fall over if we were going to get beaten.”
She was right – the ravenous Lions did not relent.
“We were allowed out on the ground after the game because we were family,” Beth said.
“Chris’ wife and daughters and Anne-Maree and I, we had things on our wrists to say we could go out on the ground and we were taken down by one of the Brisbane Lions officials.”
It was a special moment when they found themselves on the hallowed turf.
“It was amazing to be out there,” Beth said.
“You look around and see all of these people. It’s a big ground. It was really great.
“It’s something I’ll never get to do again, unless he does it again next year.”
The Fagans are a close family, and unfortunately siblings, Chris, Grant, Anne-Maree and David’s dad Austin, who passed away in 2019, was not there to share the triumph.
Chris grew up at Queenstown where Austin played for Smelters and was captain-coach of Gormanston.
Chris played for Lyell-Gormanston after the amalgamation of the two teams and, aged 15, he played in the senior premiership, all on the famous Queenstown gravel oval.
“Aussie” would have been as proud as punch to see Chris clutch the AFL premiership cup – just like the rest of the clan.
Beth was blown away by the love and admiration showered on Chris at Brisbane’s after-party at Rod Laver Arena.
“They are all very friendly and made us feel very welcome,” she said.
“You feel so proud listening to people talk to him and the things they say to him and how they feel about him, it’s just amazing.”
Originally published as It was a surreal moment for Beth Fagan to stand on the MCG on Saturday after son Chris had coached Brisbane to the AFL flag
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