Lions do it for Fagan’s 200th, finally beat bogey team
Oliver Caffrey |
The Brisbane Lions have ended a five-game hoodoo against Hawthorn, notching a 33-point win at the MCG to celebrate coach Chris Fagan’s 200th game in style.
After drawing against North Melbourne, then suffering a Gabba upset to Melbourne last week, the reigning AFL premiers travelled to Melbourne as underdogs.
But Brisbane turned the tables on the Hawks, a scintillating four-goal run late in the second quarter setting up the 14.9 (93) to 8.12 (60) win in front of 57,199 fans.
Fagan, who became the oldest premiership coach in VFL/AFL history last September, was given a guard of honour by Lions players after a successful milestone match.
Lions players put together a video of Fagan’s time at the club to show pre-game, determined to respond for their beloved coach.
“They’re a terrific group of young men, and I love coaching them,” Fagan said.
“I’m grateful to them … getting up for a win in my 200th.
“I never thought I’d ever coach 200 games … I never thought I’d coach one (game).”
It was the Lions’ first win over Hawthorn since 2019, having lost every game across the past five years even though they had been strong favourites.
It was fitting in Sir Doug Nicholls Round that Callum Ah Chee should star and Charlie Cameron awoke from his season-long slumber.
Ah Chee was the best forward on the ground, kicking four goals and limiting the influence of Hawthorn captain James Sicily as an intercepting defender.
After entering the match with 8.15 this year, Cameron set the MCG alight with three goals in three minutes late in the second quarter.
Scores were level until Cameron put through his first at the 22-minute mark, slotting two more goals in quick succession, which included a dance celebration for his second.
“How good was that?,” Fagan said of Cameron.
“He can light it up when he goes.
“Pleased for him, he’s been working really hard at his game.”
A Levi Ashcroft major gave the Lions a 23-point halftime lead they would never relinquish.
Hawthorn had patches in the third quarter when they threatened to get back in the game, but the Lions sealed the match with the first three goals of the final term.
Once a bogey venue for Brisbane, the Lions have now won five of their past six games at the MCG, including last year’s preliminary and grand finals.
It was the first time the Lions have beaten Hawthorn at the MCG since 2004.
Hawthorn were badly beaten in the midfield, as Lachie Neale and Will Ashcroft combined superbly, as they did on grand final day last year.
“We’d do a couple of good things, followed by multiple bad things,” Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said.
“It’s not going to get it done against the best sides.”
Livewire forward Connor Macdonald was clearly the Hawks’ most influential player, booting three first-half goals.
Brisbane (8-1-2) will head home and have just five days before they host Essendon at the Gabba on Thursday night.
The Hawks (7-4) face another huge test on Friday night when they face premiership favourites Collingwood at the MCG.
AAP
