Brisbane coach Chris Fagan throws his support behind embattled Lions captain Dayne Zorko

Lions coach Chris Fagan has backed besieged Brisbane skipper Dayne Zorko to cope with the pressure in the elimination final against Richmond.

Skipper Dayne Zorko and the Lions hope to prove a point against Richmond. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Lions coach Chris Fagan has launched an impassioned defence of Brisbane skipper Dayne Zorko, whose fuse is set to be tested by Richmond in Thursday night’s do-or-die affair at the Gabba.

The spotlight will be well and truly on Zorko in opening game of the AFL finals after he was widely condemned for a personal sledge that left Melbourne’s Harrison Petty in tears in the Lions’ 58-point loss to the Demons n the final round of the regular season.

Despite Zorko having apologised for the incident, there have been calls for him to be stripped of the Lions’ captaincy.

However, Fagan was lavish in his praise of Zorko’s leadership and character and backed him to overcome any attempts the Tigers make to get under the veteran’s skin.

Lions coach Chris Fagan (left) says Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko has been a ‘super leader’. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“I’d like to support Dayne Zorko,” Fagan said on Wednesday.

“He’s been a super leader. He’s taken a group of boys from a team that didn’t have a lot of self-belief to a team that has got a fair bit of self-belief.

“When his career is all over and done with, that’s the legacy that he’s left and people might wonder why am I as a coach being so supportive of him, but that’s the reason why, because that’s what he’s done.

“That got lost in the dialogue around what happened a couple of weeks ago. I think that’s all based on one incident.

“No leader’s perfect. People make mistakes. We jump all over people when they do. He apologised, which was what he should have done and he was happy enough to do it.

“We should celebrate Dayne Zorko for the footballer and the leader he’s been at our footy club.

“Behind (triple premiership-winning skipper) Michael Voss, he’s probably been the most successful leader in terms of wins as captain.

“He’s done a mighty job at a time when our club was at a really low ebb.”

Fagan said it would be “Richmond’s call” if the Tigers tried to antagonise Zorko verbally and physically.

“He’s probably readying himself for that,” the Lions coach said.

“I would be if I was in his shoes and so would everybody else.”

Zorko prepares for Brisbane’s battle against Richmond. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Fagan also defended Brisbane’s poor finals record in recent seasons.

Despite finishing the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons among the top four teams on the ladder, the Lions have won just one of their past six finals matches,

“I feel like it’s a bit of an apprenticeship that we’ve had to go through,” Fagan said.

“Richmond lost three elimination finals in a row, then didn’t make finals and then went on to win the next year, so it’s a bit of a process.

“I think it (Brisbane’s finals record) is a little bit better than what it actually looks, but I understand the record’s one win and five losses, but it’s not zero wins and six losses, it’s one and five, so we do know how to win a final.

“Someone should be celebrating the fact that this team has made four finals series in a row, and that’s a pretty good effort.”

Originally published as Brisbane coach Chris Fagan throws his support behind embattled Lions captain Dayne Zorko