Same, but different: Fagan’s successor is an age apart
Murray Wenzel, Anna Harrington and Roger Vaughan |
He hasn’t been game to pull into Chris Fagan’s car park yet, but Cameron Bruce won’t be scared to put his spin on things after the Brisbane Lions attempted to wed evolution with consistency in their new coaching appointment.
Bruce, an assistant under Fagan for five years, won the coveted role ahead of Adam Simpson, Nathan Buckley and Hayden Skipworth and has signed a three-year deal to lead the three-time defending AFL premiers.
Fagan opted not to fulfil the final year of his contract and has accepted a full-time role as Carlton’s director of coaching.
With his family in the audience, Bruce addressed media at the club’s Springfield base on Tuesday, banging the desk as he spoke in an emotive debut that comes after nearly three decades of AFL involvement.
“Chris and I are different people; I’m 47, he was 65, so there’s obviously an age difference there,” he said.
“What we do have in common is really strong philosophies about about what a successful team and a successful club looks like.
“But I do things differently.”
Bruce said he’d likely coach from up in the box, not the sideline like Fagan, and tweak the style of team meetings.
Fagan was a decorated player in Tasmania’s league but carries the distinction of becoming the first AFL premiership coach not to have played a game of AFL or VFL.
“My journey getting to coaching was different, so I probably relate to players a little bit differently and those things will be hopefully refreshing for the players,” said Bruce, who also worked with Fagan at Hawthorn.
There were two light-hearted references to Fagan’s age in Tuesday’s press conference and Bruce said he would come armed with some fresh material in an attempt to keep the Lions ahead of the chasing pack.
“I’ll certainly have to throw a few different tricks his way (when the Lions play the Blues), because he’ll think he knows us back to front,” Bruce said
“I still haven’t parked the car in his car park yet, so I’m about to do that. I’m looking forward to being given the licence to do that. But I have taken over his office already.”
Bruce was always the favourite to succeed Fagan, who gave him a strong endorsement.
A 234-game AFL player, mainly at Melbourne, Bruce was an assistant at Hawthorn and Carlton before joining the Lions.
He was involved in six premierships comprising two three-peats – first under Alastair Clarkson at the Hawks, then under Fagan at Brisbane.
Bruce was adamant the Lions were still hungry for more.
“I’m obsessed by getting better … continual improvement,” he said
“If we think we can just roll out what we’ve done and what we did this year, then the competition are going to go past us.”
Lions chairman Andrew Wellington said the panel’s examination of all candidates was necessary to ensure the club continued to evolve.
“We recognise that we’re in a good spot, but we also recognise we’ve got to keep improving,” he said.
“We weren’t doing anyone justice – the club, Cam, our supporters – if we didn’t make sure that we search widely to find the right person.”
Bruce’s promotion leaves a vacancy in the club’s coaching ranks, with the Lions now tasked with finding a new midfield and stoppage coach despite most clubs already having finalised their set-ups.
AAP