Chris Fagan, who led the Brisbane Lions to three straight AFL premierships, has joined Carlton as director of coaching, a newly created role supporting Blues coach Josh Fraser, Brisbane Times reported on Saturday (31 October).
The 64-year-old joins the Blues after flagging that he was keen to work in Victoria following the Lions' third straight premiership last month. In a statement released by Carlton, Fagan called the move "an opportunity too good to pass up".
"While I loved my 10 years as a senior coach, this is a role I am passionate about and where I know I can have a real impact in this next phase of my football career," Fagan said.
"Supporting people to get the absolute best out of themselves is what I love most about football, so the chance to now be able to do that on a full-time basis is incredibly exciting."
Full-Time Role With a Match-Day Component
Fagan will report to Carlton's general manager of football, Chris Davies. According to Brisbane Times, his full-time role will have a match-day component that will be an extension of the support he provides the coaching group throughout the week.
"I can't wait to connect with each person in the football department, and in particular work closely with Josh to help every coach and player be the best Carlton person they can possibly be," Fagan said.
He said conversations with club president Rob Priestley, chief executive Graham Wright, Davies and Fraser had shown how aligned they were. "They shared a clear vision of evolving Carlton into a club that can contend but most importantly, they understand there is still significant work to do to get there," he said.
Hawthorn Reunion
The move reunites Fagan with Wright, the ABC reported. The pair worked together at Hawthorn when Fagan was head of coaching and development and then general manager of football operations, as the Hawks won three flags in a row between 2013 and 2015.
Fraser, now permanent after an interim period, led the Blues to 11 wins and a draw from the final 14 games of 2026 to reach the finals, according to the ABC. Carlton beat Melbourne in a wild card game before an elimination final loss to Geelong.
Lions Legacy
Fagan stepped down as Lions coach on Thursday (1 October), days after the grand final win. "I've been thinking about this for some time and I'm comfortable that now is the right time for [my wife] Ursula and I to return to Melbourne," he said in a statement at the time, the ABC reported.
Fagan took charge of the Lions in 2017 and coached 243 games with a winning record of 61.32 per cent. This year he passed Leigh Matthews as the coach with the most games for the club, and he led the Lions to eight straight finals series after claiming the wooden spoon in his opening season.
Lions chair Andrew Wellington said at the time that Fagan's "influence has reached far beyond the Brisbane Lions", adding that he had "helped strengthen football across Queensland, inspired a new generation of players and supporters".
His departure meant the Lions would have to look for a new coach to help their list attempt the first AFL/VFL four-peat since the Collingwood team of 1927–30, the ABC reported at the time.