- Chris Fagan has extended his contract until 2027 with Brisbane
- Lions won AFL first place in September at MCG
- Fagan took over in 2016, a stunning turnaround
Premiership coach Chris Fagan hopes to lead the Brisbane Lions to an AFL dynasty after extending his contract until the end of the 2027 season.
Brisbane confirmed Fagan’s new deal, which will take him beyond a decade in the role, on Thursday morning.
It comes after Fagan took over the club’s first premiership in 21 years in September, after inheriting the league’s worst team in 2016.
“When I started I was probably just hoping to get a second contract,” Fagan said in a club video.
“Fortunately, although we had a couple of quiet years on the winning scene in my first two years, the club got behind me and have been backing me ever since.
“That’s why it’s an honor to be able to continue coaching this group.
Head coach Chris Fagan hopes to lead the Brisbane Lions to an AFL dynasty after extending his contract until the end of the 2027 season (pictured after winning the Grand Final in September).
Fagan declared: “it’s an honor to be able to continue coaching this group” (pictured, with star Lachie Neale after beating Sydney in the 2024 decider)
“I think we enjoy working together and hope to try to achieve a little more success together.”
The Lions backed Fagan despite falling short in multiple finals campaigns, including the 2023 grand final loss to Collingwood.
“It’s a good lesson not only for sport, but also for life,” he said.
‘If you want to achieve things, sometimes it takes a while and you have to go through some ups and downs and some failures before you get there.
“But eight years later, we were able to do it.”
Brisbane also backed Fagan during the racist Hawthorn saga.
The historic racism allegations against the club and former manager Alastair Clarkson, his former assistant Fagan and former welfare manager Jason Burt were aired publicly for the first time in September 2022.
Current North Melbourne coach Clarkson, Fagan and Burt have consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing, while an AFL investigation found no adverse findings against the trio last May.
Fagan, 63, became the oldest coach in VFL/AFL history to win a premiership this year when the Lions crushed Sydney by 60 points in this year’s grand final.
He will be 66 years old when his new contract expires.
“Extending Chris’ contract was an easy decision because he has proven since we first appointed him that he was a special coach,” said chief executive Greg Swann.
“His record on the field speaks for itself – he has led the club to a premiership this season, a grand final last year and six consecutive finals series in total.”
‘What’s equally impressive is the culture you’ve helped create here, which sees everyone becoming the best version of themselves.
“He has taken this club from the bottom of the ladder to the premiership, and we look forward to further success under his leadership.”