Why Chris Fagan is leaving Brisbane after three straight AFL premierships

Chris Fagan is leaving Brisbane Lions to return to Melbourne nearer his family, ending ten seasons as senior coach just after a third consecutive AFL premiership. AAP reports that he told the club on Thursday, October 1, leaving the reigning champions needing a new coach for 2027.

The 65-year-old still had a year remaining on his contract. ‘I’m comfortable that now is the right time for Ursula and I to return to Melbourne to be closer to our family,’ he said in a club statement quoted by AAP.

Why Chris Fagan has decided to leave

Family is the explicit reason in his departure statement. His comments after the September 26 grand final also explain the demands he was weighing before making the decision. At that point, he was still considering whether to coach an eleventh season.

‘I’ve just got to work out whether I’ve still got the energy required to do that relentless responsibility and pressure that comes with being an AFL coach,’ Fagan said at the post-match press conference, reported by AFL.com.au’s Michael Whiting.

‘There’s a little bit inside of me who’d rather walk away when the team’s on top, I’ve got to be honest,’ he said after the final. By Thursday, that uncertainty had become a decision. Telling players and football staff was ‘one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life’, he said in his farewell statement.

Is Fagan leaving football altogether?

Fagan has left open the possibility of a less intensive role in football. His September 26 remarks distinguished the demands of being a senior coach from other ways he could remain involved in the game.

‘I think if I didn’t coach on, I’d like to do something in footy, but not at the level of intensity that’s required to be a senior coach,’ he said. AAP’s departure report also says he wants to stay involved in some form.

That establishes an interest, rather than an agreed next job. Neither account identifies a future employer, position or start date. The confirmed move is his departure from Brisbane’s senior coaching role and his stated intention to return to Melbourne.

The Brisbane record Fagan leaves behind

Brisbane beat Fremantle by seven points at the MCG on September 26 to complete its third straight premiership. AFL.com.au reported that the Lions overturned a 17-point deficit deep in the final quarter, giving Fagan a winning finish to his tenure.

He shared credit with football boss Danny Daly, the assistant coaches and the players. He also acknowledged Fremantle’s performance, saying the Dockers had been better for longer periods and Brisbane had benefited from some luck, including captain Alex Pearce’s third-quarter injury.

The club’s earlier contract announcement records that Fagan took over for the 2017 season with Brisbane bottom of the ladder. That announcement extended his deal through the end of 2027, explaining why this departure comes before his scheduled contract expiry.

AAP puts his final record at 148 wins, 93 losses and two draws across 243 matches. After only ten victories in his first two seasons, he led Brisbane to eight consecutive finals appearances and four successive grand finals.

Brisbane chair Andrew Wellington praised his approach to people as well as results. ‘He led with humility, without ego and with an unwavering commitment to helping those around him become better,’ Wellington said in comments carried by AAP.

Who could replace Chris Fagan?

AAP identifies several possible successors, without reporting an appointment or formal shortlist. Daly has expressed a desire to become a senior coach. Fagan had spoken positively about backline coach Dale Morris, while Daly had floated midfield coach Cam Bruce as another possibility.

Fagan has indicated he will not recommend his replacement, according to AAP. Its report establishes no recruitment timetable or selection process. Those names therefore remain possibilities, with Brisbane still needing a new senior coach.

The next coach will lead an attempt at a fourth consecutive premiership. AAP identifies Collingwood’s 1927–1930 sequence as the last VFL/AFL four-peat. Fagan believes Brisbane’s players will continue to contend, but that is his assessment of their prospects: the fourth title remains something to pursue.