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Chris Fagan caught in ugly furore before AFL grand final as Sam Mitchell snub called out

Many AFL fans believe Mitchell was robbed in Coach of the Year vote after Fagan was crowned the winner.

ben talintyre
Sports Reporter
·5-min read

AFL grand final week for Brisbane's Chris Fagan began in the best possible way, with the Lions mentor voted the Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year for 2024. Fagan had the honour bestowed upon him for the second time in his eight-year career at the Lions - having previously won in 2019 when he took his side to a semi-final just 12 months after finishing 15th.

However, many believe Sam Mitchell and John Longmire were more deserving of the honour, with the likes of SEN's Dwayne Russell and Tim Gossage questioning if the Lione have even improved on last season and how their year is better than the one Mitchell and Longmire have had. The Lions side started the season with three straight losses – not winning until Round 4 against North Melbourne in Gather Round. But even still, it wasn’t until round 8 that Fagan's men started to hit their straps, coming from a 2-5 win-loss record to now make their second consecutive grand final.

Pictured left Chris Fagan and right Sam Mitchell
The AFL world has questioned how Chris Fagan (left) won the AFL coach of the year over the likes of Sam Mitchell (right) and John Longmire. Image: Getty

But Russell stated that all Fagan has done is meet this year's expectations by again reaching the grand final with what he believes is the best list in the AFL. And as the Coach of the Year is voted on by all 18 senior coaches, Russell hypothesised that Mitchell may have not received the honour due to not being well-liked by his peers.

Mitchell finished third, behind both Fagan and Longmire, despite leading Hawthorn from third-last in 2023 to sixth in 2024. “Do the other coaches not like Sam Mitchell? Did Sam Mitchell just find out who his friends are?” Russell asked on SEN Afternoons on Wednesday. “For Chris Fagan to be Coach of the Year is bizarre to me, to be voted by the coaches as the best this year.

“I mean, Chris Fagan has the best list I reckon in the comp. I picked them to win the flag this pre-season. They should have made this year's Grand Final. All he’s done is break even with last year.”

Russell backed up his statement by comparing the records, where he suggested if anything Brisbane have regressed this season. The AFL pundit said while Mitchell's side drastically improved in 2023, the Lions currently had fallen short of last year's campaign. “In fact, when you look at the home and away season this year, the Lions won 14 games this year in the home and away season, Hawthorn also won 14 games this year,” Russell continued. "Except last year, the Lions won 17 games, that’s three games more than this year.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 17: Lachie Neale of the Lions chats with Chris Fagan, Senior Coach of the Lions as they leave the field after the round 23 AFL match between Collingwood Magpies and Brisbane Lions at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on August 17, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Chris Fagan claimed the award for the second time in his eight-year career at the Lions. Image: Getty

“Hawthorn won seven games last year and won 14 this year. Surely Sam Mitchell is the Coach of the Year. He's coached them up from 16th to be in the top six. How didn’t Sam Mitchell get voted Coach of the Year? I’ve got no idea. He was third last in 2023 to 14 wins in the home and away this year and he wasn't even in the top two. So maybe he just found out who his friends are.”

While veteran sports commentator Gossage believes the Swans coach should have beaten out Fagan. "Sydney were on top all year and remember Brisbane were in the grand final last year, Fagan didn't just win it he won it by like 70 votes," a shocked Gossage told SEN on Wednesday. And much of the AFL world agreed that Mitchell deserved the honour, with even Longmire a better choice than the Lions mentor.

The Lions finished fifth on the AFL ladder this season with a win-loss record of 14-1-8, and have been forced to take the long route to the grand final. A comfortable win over Carlton in their elimination final took them to western Sydney, where they incredibly came back from 44 points down against GWS to secure a place in the final four.

Brisbane then pulled off yet another come-from-behind victory last Saturday in a 10-point victory over Geelong in front of a packed MCG to book their spot in the grand final this weekend. And speaking after being named coach of the year, Fagan said while being a head coach is a challenging job it is also incredibly rewarding.

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“Coaching is full of interesting & unique challenges but overall is an immensely rewarding job,” Fagan said in an AFL Coaches Association media release. “I’m thankful to the Brisbane Lions hierarchy for showing faith in an old bloke like me to be their Senior Coach 8 years ago. It’s been a fun ride and I’m very proud of the consistent club we have become.

“To be recognised by my peers in this way is something I didn’t truly expect but it is something I’m very proud of. Congratulations to all coaches at every AFL Club. This season has been more competitive and hard-fought than ever and the general public have been entertained to the max."

1. Chris Fagan- Brisbane Lions- 272 votes

2. John Longmore- Sydney Swans - 209 votes

3. Sam Mitchell - Hawthorn - 161 votes