Brisbane Lions Clinch 2024 AFL Premiership After Overcoming Sydney Swans

Chris Fagan, coach of the Brisbane Lions, expressed immense pride in his team’s ability to turn their season around and secure the 2024 AFL Premiership. The Lions triumphed over the Sydney Swans with a commanding 60-point victory in the grand final, marking the club’s first AFL flag since 2003.

The Lions’ journey to the premiership was far from smooth. At the season’s midway point, they found themselves languishing in 13th position and outside the top eight by 10 points. However, a remarkable resurgence saw Brisbane win 10 of their final 12 home and away matches, climbing up to finish fifth on the ladder.

Their dramatic season included a nail-biting semifinal where they overturned a 44-point deficit against Greater Western Sydney in Sydney. “I’m so proud of the group, the resilience that they’ve shown this year,” Fagan told ABC Sport. “We were looking down the barrel at the halfway mark [of the season] and somehow or other, it’s turned out like this.”

Adding a unique touch to the Lions’ turnaround, Fagan humorously referred to an episode of the Apple TV+ series ‘Ted Lasso‘ as a motivational tool during the season. He showed his players the episode where a character confronts goal-scoring struggles, seeking to ease tensions surrounding their own difficulties with goal-kicking.

At 63, Fagan is now the oldest premiership coach in VFL/AFL history. He joined the Lions in 2017 and led them to the finals for the first time in his tenure two years later. “To come from where we’ve come from eight years ago, to be able to do this today is a very special moment,” he remarked after the grand final.

Fagan’s tenure at Brisbane has been noted for turning the team’s fortunes around. Upon taking charge in 2016, the club finished last, earning the ‘wooden spoon’. Fagan has since guided the Lions back into playoff contention, playing a pivotal role in player recruitment and development.

Looking to the future, Fagan remains optimistic. Despite off-field challenges, including involvement in a racism controversy during his time with Hawthorn, he states, “I’ve had a terrific football club that got around me… I’ve had a great family as well and a good batch of friends. I felt fairly comfortable all the way through.”

Fagan credits the contribution of the entire Lions organization, from recruiting staff to coaching teams. He looks towards next season with optimism, aiming for the team to build on their premiership success.