Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan reveals the messages of support he received from Danny Frawley

Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has paid tribute to Danny Frawley, saying he was “a man that cared about others more than he cared about himself” and a constant source of support.

Chris Fagan says he’s thankful for the support Danny Frawley provided him. Picture: Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images.

Lions coach Chris Fagan says he owes a debt of gratitude to Danny Frawley for his support in his quest to land his first senior coaching gig at Brisbane.

Fagan said the former head of the AFL Coaches Association contacted him out of the blue when the Brisbane Lions began the search for a new coach after the sacking of Justin Leppitsch and urged him to throw his hat into the ring.

“He’s a good friend of mine as he is of a lot of people, everyone would call Danny Frawley a friend,’’ he said.

“My story about him was he really encouraged me to go for this job up here.’’

Fagan said Frawley’s support didn’t stop when he won the job but continued in the early years when wins were hard to come by.

Chris Fagan says he’s thankful for the support Danny Frawley provided him. Picture: Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images.

“He was one of the first guys always to send a text of encouragement through to me,’’ he said.

“When things weren’t going well and we weren’t winning many games the text would come from Danny, ‘hang in there mate it is turning I can see it’, those sorts of words of encouragement.

“And I think that is Danny Frawley, a man that cared about others more than he cared about himself.’’

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Fagan said while he was devastated at the news of his friend’s passing, he would cherish the memory of the last time the socialised together last year when they were guests at a sportsman’s lunch.

Chris Fagan says he owes the late Danny Frawley for his role in encouraging him to apply for the Brisbane Lions job. Picture: Mark Stewart.

“It is a real tragedy he is no longer with us,’’ he said.

“He could fill a room with laughter, I remember that particular lunch and I had to get up and speak after him and I thought, oh no I’m not a comedian like he is.

“He had the whole room laughing and happy, and I was laughing just as much.

“But that’s him so there are a lot of people very sad because he has touched a lot of people’s lives.’’

Originally published as Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan reveals the messages of support he received from Danny Frawley