Outgoing Lions coach Chris Fagan has wished Lachie Neale well as the Lions coach cracked jokes at Brisbane’s best and fairest awards night on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Fagan announced he was quitting as Brisbane coach with a year to run on his contract, deciding to go out on a high after clinching a premiership three-peat.
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At the club’s awards night, the 65-year-old addressed every single one of the 23 players who took the field in Brisbane’s thrilling seven-point win over Fremantle at the MCG, making them stand up as he offered them each a few words of praise.
The best and fairest function was the final official club event for Neale, who is set to join Collingwood on a three-year deal worth around $1 million per season.
“I wish you all the best with the rest of your life and whatever happens to you,” Fagan said to Neale, who cracked a smile as knowing laughter rippled around the room.
In his address to the club, Lions chairman Andrew Wellington directed a cheeky sledge in Neale’s direction, saying Neale was getting ready to get his teeth pulled.
“I would like to just acknowledge Lachie Neale, who we now know is going to the dark side,” Wellington said in a speech you can watch above.
“Take a last look at Lachie because he’s going tomorrow to have some teeth removed and a bit more ink.”
The quip was a not so subtle reference to the age-old footy stereotype of Collingwood supporters missing teeth.
“I shouldn’t joke, he’s going to a club we genuinely have a lot of respect for and a great rivalry with,” Wellington said.
“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.”
Fagan and Wellington both earnestly praised Neale for his contribution to the Lions and his ability to accumulate contested ball, helping transform Brisbane’s midfield in recent years.
Neale departs as a three-time premiership player, two-time Brownlow Medallist and for-time club best and fairest winner.
This week Brisbane and Collingwood released statements confirming Neale would exercise his right as an unrestricted free agent to join the Magpies.
The AFL will also confirm the free agency compensation the Lions will receive during the upcoming trade and free agency period.
Fagan had kind words for every one one of his players, telling Will Ashcroft: “I reckon you probably should have won your third Norm Smith Medal. It speaks volumes how you play in big games.”
“Where’s Dunks? He’s probably tackling someone out in the toilet,” Fagan joked in a reference to Josh Dunkley, who had 12 tackles in the grand final as he became a four-time premiership player.
“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.”
Fagan also heralded Irishman Connor McKenna for shutting down Fremantle halfback Jordan Clark in the grand final.
Clark was a surprise selection to this year’s All Australian team and Fagan suggested dashing Lions defender Darcy Wilmot would have been more deserving of getting picked.
“I’m not an All Australian selector but it’s about thime they picked you I reckon,” Fagan told Wilmot.
“If that Jordan Clark from Fremantle can get picked, I reckon you can too,” Fagan said
The outgoing coach quipped to Wilmot: “Sometimes you run around in circles and look like an emu. Sort that out will you?”
Fagan also said of Eric Hipwood: “You should have seen how Eric was dressed on Mad Monday, there was a lot of leather in that outfit.”
Lions football boss Danny Daly and midfield coach Cam Bruce are the internal candidates expected to be the frontrunners to take over from Fagan.
By stepping down as coach, Fagan will miss out on the chance to lead Brisbane to the first V/AFL premiership four-peat since Collingwood managed the rare feat a century ago in 1927-30.
Grand final hero Will Ashcroft claimed Brisbane Lions’ best and fairest honour, the Merrett-Murray Medal, edging Josh Dunkley by just two votes.
Neale was awarded the Alastair Lynch Trophy for third place in Brisbane’s best and fairest, saying on stage “it saddens me” to be leaving the Lions.
Neale also apologised for having his top button undone, saying he was a “bit puffy from too much drinking’ over the past few days in the premiership celebrations.
Elsewhere on Thursday night, Geelong’s Bailey Smith won the Carji Greeves Medal as the Cats’ best and fairest player.
Isaac Heeney won the Bob Skilton Medal as the Sydney Swans’ Most Valuable Player, but he did not attend the function in Sydney amid the ongoing police investigation into the Pullman Hotel allegations.
Zach Merrett won his seventh Crichton Medal, equalling Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison for the most best and fairest awards in Essendon history.
Marcus Bontempelli and Harry Sheezel won the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne’s best and fairest awards this week.
Originally published as Lachie Neale cops savage Collingwood sledge as Chris Fagan goes rogue