Neale would exercise his right as an unrestricted free agent to join the Magpies<\/a>.<\/p>\nThe AFL will also confirm the free agency compensation the Lions will receive during the upcoming trade and free agency period.<\/p>\n
Fagan had kind words for every one one of his players, telling Will Ashcroft: \u201cI reckon you probably should have won your third Norm Smith Medal. It speaks volumes how you play in big games.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s Dunks? He\u2019s probably tackling someone out in the toilet,\u201d Fagan joked in a reference to Josh Dunkley, who had 12 tackles in the grand final as he became a four-time premiership player.<\/p>\n
\u201cLoves a tackle. What about some of those smothers on the weekend? The only thing that was better was (Ryan) Lester\u2019s chase down on (Josh) Treacy in the last quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fagan also heralded Irishman Connor McKenna for shutting down Fremantle halfback Jordan Clark in the grand final. <\/p>\n
Clark was a surprise selection to this year\u2019s All Australian team and Fagan suggested dashing Lions defender Darcy Wilmot would have been more deserving of getting picked. <\/p>\n
![\"'Like](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/afd51aefffd296e0cd670cb14de73ae8.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not an All Australian selector but it\u2019s about thime they picked you I reckon,\u201d Fagan told Wilmot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that Jordan Clark from Fremantle can get picked, I reckon you can too,\u201d Fagan said<\/p>\n
The outgoing coach quipped to Wilmot: \u201cSometimes you run around in circles and look like an emu. Sort that out will you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Fagan also said of Eric Hipwood: \u201cYou should have seen how Eric was dressed on Mad Monday, there was a lot of leather in that outfit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lions football boss Danny Daly and midfield coach Cam Bruce are the internal candidates expected to be the frontrunners to take over from Fagan. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
Grand final hero Will Ashcroft claimed Brisbane Lions\u2019 best and fairest honour, the Merrett-Murray Medal, edging Josh Dunkley by just two votes.<\/p>\n
Neale was awarded the Alastair Lynch Trophy for third place in Brisbane\u2019s best and fairest, saying on stage \u201cit saddens me\u201d to be leaving the Lions.<\/p>\n
Neale also apologised for having his top button undone, saying he was a \u201cbit puffy from too much drinking\u2019 over the past few days in the premiership celebrations. <\/p>\n
Elsewhere on Thursday night, Geelong\u2019s Bailey Smith won the Carji Greeves Medal as the Cats\u2019 best and fairest player. <\/p>\n
Isaac Heeney won the Bob Skilton Medal as the Sydney Swans\u2019 Most Valuable Player, but he did not attend the function in Sydney amid the ongoing police investigation into the Pullman Hotel allegations.<\/p>\n
Zach Merrett won his seventh Crichton Medal, equalling Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison for the most best and fairest awards in Essendon history. <\/p>\n
Marcus Bontempelli and Harry Sheezel won the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne\u2019s best and fairest awards this week. <\/p>\n
Originally published as Lachie Neale cops savage Collingwood sledge as Chris Fagan goes rogue<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Outgoing Lions coach Chris Fagan has wished Lachie Neale well as the Lions coach cracked jokes at 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