Outgoing Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has raised eyebrows with some brutal potshots at the club’s best-and-fairest event on Thursday night
Fagan was in particularly good form, serving it up to departing champ Lachie Neale, but also, somewhat surpsisingly, giving two little backhanders to Fremantle star Jordan Clark.
“I wish you all the best with the rest of your life … and whatever happens to you,” Fagan said to Neale, much to the amusement of the dual Brownlow medallist who is heading to Collingwood on a three-year deal.
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But it was Fagan’s drive-by aimed at Clark that caused the biggest stir.
“I’m not an All-Australian selector but it’s about time they picked you, I reckon,” Fagan said to his own half-back Darcy Wilmot.
“If that Jordan Clark from Fremantle can get picked, I reckon you can too.”
Clark had a particularly quiet grand final, managing just 14 disposals, while Wilmot had 20 and Lions veteran Dayne Zorko had 28 (also off half-back) and was among the very best on ground.
Earlier, Fagan had applauded Conor McKenna for keeping Clark quiet, again referring to him as “that Jordan Clark guy”.
“That Jordan Clark guy, he’s an All-Australian this year … you played on him in the grand final. He averages about 25. he got about 13 in the grand final, thank you,” Fagan said to the Irishman.
The potshots immediately created a stir online, with some fans suggesting it was classless.
“Jordan Clark getting the now traditional Lions b&f driveby,” one fan said on social media. “(Fagan) really said, ‘f*** it, I dont even work here anymore.’”
Another said sarcastically, “Classy as ever.”
On Reddit, debate raged.
“I can’t remember ever seeing a coach making a drive-by like this at a player before, would feel out of place for nearly every coach to do this, let alone Fagan,” one fan said.
And another: “I don’t think I’ve seen a club care so much about All-Australian than Brisbane do this year, lol.”
And another: “Geez they’re good but they’re far from humble these Lions.”
But other fans accepted this was a club awards night, and it was a perfect time for some fun and self-congratulations.
“It’s the club B&F, everyone in the room is a Lions supporter. If there’s ever a time to be one-eyed, it’s then,” one fan said.
In fairness to Fagan, his own players copped it too,
“Sometimes you run around in circles and look like an emu. Sort that out, will you?” he said to Wilmot.
And he took aim at Eric Hipwood’s Mad Monday outfit, saying there was “a lot of leather”.
“Where’s Dunks? He’s probably tackling someone out in the toilet,” Fagan continued.
“Loves a tackle. What about some of those smothers on the weekend? The only thing that was better was (Ryan) Lester’s chase down on (Josh) Treacy in the last quarter.”
Brisbane chair Andrew Wellington also couldn’t resist serving it up to Neale.
“I would like to just acknowledge Lachie Neale, who we now know is going to the dark side,” Wellington said.
“Take a last look at Lachie because he’s going tomorrow to have some teeth removed and a bit more ink.”
Of course, the “dark side” is Collingwood and toothless fans are somewhat of an age-old — and slightly misguided — stereotype.
“I shouldn’t joke,” Welinngton then backpedalled.
“He’s going to a club we genuinely have a lot of respect for and a great rivalry with.
“While of course we’re sad to see Lachie go, you go with nothing but gratitude from us.
“You came to us at the end of 2018, a year in which we won five matches and finished 15th.
“You’ve been critical part of our resurgence of our club since then. Thank you and we wish you all the best.”
