Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Breaking a record set by AFL legend Leigh Matthews doesn’t sit quite right for dual Brisbane Lions premiership coach Chris Fagan.
Fagan will coach the club for the 238th time when the Lions host a QClash against Gold Coast on Saturday.
It will take him one past Matthews, who arguably has the best overall resume of any person in VFL/AFL history across an extraordinary career as a player and coach with a combined eight premierships.
Although Matthews is one of the most decorated footballers of all-time and Fagan never played at the highest level, the pair have created a close friendship that extends beyond football.
Matthews was famously one of the first people to embrace Fagan when the Lions broke through to win the 2024 grand final.
“Leigh Matthews has been even more generous in his comments about me, which is a little humbling,” Fagan told reporters on Friday.
“It doesn’t quite feel right to be breaking his record.
“But hopefully we can just live side by side in the history of the Brisbane Lions, and the people will appreciate what both of us did in our times here.”
Remarkably, Fagan and Matthews have near-identical win-loss records (143 wins to 142) as Lions coach.
But Matthews still holds the edge in premierships 3-2, leading Brisbane to a three-peat in the early 2000s.
Fagan still has a chance to match his great mentor on three flags.
Wins in their final home-and-away games against the Suns and Collingwood will almost guarantee the Lions a top-four spot and a double chance.
The previous Queensland derby in June was when Brisbane got their premiership defence back on track, putting an end to a horror three-week stretch to comfortably beat the Suns.
Fagan, who became emotional when addressing players about his milestone, opted against making any changes to face Gold Coast.
After a shock smashing by Carlton, the Lions responded in blistering fashion to destroy Hawthorn last Friday night.
But Brisbane do have concerns over co-captain Hugh McCluggage, who is still recovering from a third calf injury this season.
“Now that we know we’re in finals, you probably won’t see him until we play our first final, whether that’s the first week or the second week of the finals,” Fagan said of McCluggage.
“We’ve taken a cautious approach there.
“We don’t want to rush him.”
