- Leigh Matthews has revealed what she said to Chris Fagan
- Matthews and Fagan hugged after the final siren.
- The Brisbane couple are close friends and enjoy weekly dinners.
It was the image that will live long in the history of the Brisbane Lions, as well as in football folklore.
After seeing his team officially crowned AFL premierships, the first person Lions coach Chris Fagan turned to was Leigh Matthews, the football great who led the same club to four flags.
The couple hugged and tears flowed from both men, in scenes that struck a chord with football fans.
Matthews was on hand to present the major cup to Brisbane as the club celebrated its first win since 2003, and revealed to News Corp the first words he said to Fagan as their victorious fate was sealed.
“I told him before the game: ‘You are a first division coach and they have to show if they are a first division team,'” he said.
“After the game, I said, ‘You’re a Division I coach and you’ve coached a Division I team.’ That’s it.’
Matthews explained that he does not define a ‘first division coach’ only as one who has won a flag.
“You can be the prime minister’s coach without winning it,” he said.
Leigh Matthews has revealed what she said to Chris Fagan in the final siren
Fagan ended Brisbane’s 21-year wait for the AFL premiership on Saturday
“I think he’s a premiership coach and it just happened today that he became one, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t one before.”
Fagan and Matthews are close friends and go to weekly dinners with Lions CEO Greg Swann and their wives.
“He coaches the Lions and I’m on the board, but we’ve become good friends and I have a lot of admiration for him.” So yeah, I’m very happy for him,” he said.
“It’s an interesting starting point to know that he didn’t play in the AFL and that he played in Tassie, but he just came up, starting with Neale Daniher in Melbourne, then obviously at Hawthorn, then he got his chance at the Brisbane Lions.
“He’s always been underrated. It’s partly because of his background.
Reflecting on the final mermaid hug, Matthews said it was never her intention to be the center of attention at that special moment.
“It’s not my time, it’s your time, and I just wanted to congratulate you,” he said.