Sports · Other Sports · 3 hrs ago
Chris Fagan backs Cameron Bruce to succeed him as Brisbane Lions coach
Chris Fagan stepped down as Brisbane Lions coach days after leading the club to a third straight AFL premiership.
He says assistant coach Cameron Bruce is ready for the top job.
Bruce has been involved in six premiership wins and eight grand finals, including three premierships with Brisbane and three with Hawthorn.
The Lions have also approached Murray Davis, a former Brisbane coach who now works as Adelaide’s coaching director.
Brisbane plans to consider several candidates rather than automatically promote someone from within.
The club aims to appoint Fagan’s successor by the end of October, after informal talks and formal interviews.
The choice will shape who leads the reigning three-time champions next season.
Chris Fagan has endorsed Brisbane Lions senior assistant Cameron Bruce as a candidate to replace him as head coach.
Fagan said Bruce is ready for the role and would likely have taken another AFL club’s head coaching job if he had been willing to leave Brisbane.
Bruce has been involved in six premierships and eight grand finals, according to Fagan.
Brisbane has also approached Adelaide coaching director Murray Davis, a former Lions coach, about the vacancy.
The Lions plan to interview candidates and aim to appoint a coach by the end of October.
- Who
- Cameron Bruce is Fagan’s endorsed candidate. Murray Davis is also being considered.
- What
- Brisbane is choosing a successor to head coach Chris Fagan, who stepped down.
- When
- Fagan endorsed Bruce on October 14, 2026. Brisbane aims to appoint a coach by the end of October.
- Where
- The vacancy is at the Brisbane Lions, in Brisbane.
- Why
- Fagan stepped down days after leading Brisbane to a third consecutive premiership.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Chris Fagan stepped down as Lions coach.
Danny Daly withdrew from the race for the head coaching job, and Brisbane announced its selection panel.
Brisbane had approached Adelaide coaching director Murray Davis about the vacancy.
Fagan publicly endorsed Cameron Bruce as his preferred successor.
Brisbane aims to appoint its next coach.
- Bruce’s premierships
- Six, according to Fagan: three with Brisbane and three with Hawthorn
- Bruce’s grand finals
- Eight, according to Fagan
- Davis’s time at Brisbane
- 13 seasons
- Brisbane appointment target
- By the end of October
- Daly’s role
- Part of the five-person selection panel after withdrawing from the race
3 sources
What people are saying
He's been involved in a large number of premierships. Six, I think it is, three here (at Brisbane) and three at Hawthorn, so eight grand finals
The only reason he hasn't put his hand up for jobs in more recent years is that he loves it up here. He's got a young family that love it up here as well.
I honestly think he would have an AFL coaching job right now if he had have decided to go for one of those jobs.