Welcome to Return of the Pride.
Josh Gabelich and Michael Whiting from AFL.com.au, have explored how Brisbane hit rock bottom on-field and off-field, how they recovered from the disaster that was the go-home five to climb off the canvas and go back-to-back under the oldest coach in VFL/AFL history.
Across six episodes, we will unpack the major appointments in this rebuild and how those key people arrived in Brisbane. We will dissect the crucial list decisions and hear from the people behind those calls, before revealing how many of the key trades actually transpired.
Over the course pre-season, we have spoken to more than 50 people inside the Brisbane Lions and across the AFL industry, from Greg Swann to Chris Fagan, from Luke Hodge to Dom Ambrogio, from Paul Connors to Alastair Clarkson, from Jonathan Brown to Eddie McGuire and many of the 2024 and 2025 premiership teams to find out how another dynasty was built in Brisbane.
From the "go-home five" to the early years under Chris Fagan and then into missed finals opportunities, the Brisbane Lions tasted the ultimate success in 2024 and then backed that up in 2025.
The Lions are on track for a 3-peat with seemingly little in their way in 2026.
This is the final installment of how Chris Fagan returned the Pride to the Brisbane Lions.
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1 Apr 2026
5. The Finals
Before the Lions reached the pinnacle in 2024 and 2025 they featured in September and fell short every season between 2019 - 2023.
The build up of finals losses, a mounting injury list and the Hawthorn saga in the background almost became too much for Chris Fagan as he considered walking away during the 2024 season. But a conversation changed everything.
This is Episode 5 of Return of the Pride
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23 Mar 2026
4. The Trades
The Brisbane Lions threw many darts at the board and missed during Trade Periods when Michael Voss and Justin Leppitsch were at the helm as senior coaches.
Then, a simple text from Chris Fagan to Luke Hodge asking whether he'd like to stay retired or join the Lions changed the trajectory of the club.
Hodge first, followed by Lachie Neale, followed by Charlie Cameron, add in Joe Daniher and Josh Dunkley, the Lions built the nucleus of their premiership side through Fages asking the question.
This is Episode 4 of Return of the Pride.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
17 Mar 2026
3. The Drafts
Previous to 2016 Brisbane had a horror run at the draft table, but from the selection of Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry the tables have turned.
Cam Rayner then joined the club with pick 1 in 2017, and the Lions have made every post a winner with their academy selections as well.
These are the players who joined the club that have formed the nucleus of the 2024 & 2025 premiership sides.
This is Episode 3 of Return of the Pride.
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9 Mar 2026
2. The Coach
While the AFL placed Greg Swann inside the Lions as the CEO, he was charged with finding the next senior coach for the football club after sacking club legends Justin Leppitsch and Michael Voss.
A man with over 2-decades of experience in various roles stuck out from the rest, that man was Chris Fagan.
Despite never having played at the highest level, Fagan blew them all away during the interview process, and has since gone onto to create one of the greatest coaching CV's the game has seen.
This is Episode 2 of Return of the Pride.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
9 Mar 2026
1. The Boss
Welcome to Return of the Pride.
Josh Gabelich and Micheal Whiting have spoken to more than 50 people inside the Brisbane Lions and across the AFL industry about how the Lions hit rock bottom before returning to the promised land in 2024 and again in 2025.
Sacking coaches Justin Leppitsch, and Michael Voss. Losing 5 players in a single trade period, now infamously known as "the go home 5" the club was in turmoil before the AFL deployed Greg Swann as CEO who began picking up the pieces of the rubble.
This is Episode 1 of Return of the Pride.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
6 Mar 2026
Coming soon to AFL.com.au: Return of the Pride
Welcome to Return of the Pride.
A six-part podcast series on how the Brisbane Lions hit rock bottom and how they recovered from the disaster that was the 'Go-Home Five' to climb off the canvas and go back-to-back under the oldest coach in VFL/AFL history.
Coming soon to AFL.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
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