Brisbane Lions football boss Danny Daly has ruled himself out of the race to replace Chris Fagan as senior coach and will instead help pick the new coach, the club confirmed on Wednesday, with assistant Cam Bruce the reported frontrunner.
Updated 4:30pm AEDT, Wednesday 7 October: Brisbane has confirmed its coaching selection panel and Daly’s elevated role.
The Herald Sun’s Jay Clark first reported on Wednesday 7 October that Daly, the Lions’ general manager of football, had decided not to pursue the job. Brisbane then outlined its process to appoint Fagan’s successor that afternoon, AFL.com.au and Zero Hanger reported.
Who will pick Fagan’s successor
The selection panel includes chair Andrew Wellington, chief executive Sam Graham and Daly. Club great and board member Leigh Matthews will act in an advisory capacity, and Brownlow medallist Simon Black and sports psychologist Matti Clements, who were both involved in the process that appointed Fagan, will also support the panel. AFL.com.au reported that former Australian basketball captain Phil Smyth is also part of the panel.
“The appointment of our next senior coach is an important decision for the club’s future, and I am pleased we have assembled an experienced and highly skilled panel to lead a thorough and considered process,” Sam Graham said.
Graham also confirmed Daly has accepted an elevated role as General Manager Football.
“Danny has decided not to pursue the Senior Coach role and will play a key role in selecting and supporting the new coach as the club enters the next phase,” Graham said.
“We will now work through this process methodically and take the time required to identify the best person to coach our AFL team into its next chapter of sustained success.”
Candidates will be assessed against set criteria before the club makes a recommendation to the board, Zero Hanger reported.
Bruce now leads the race
Daly and Bruce had loomed as the leading internal candidates since Fagan stepped down after the Lions’ premiership three-peat.
Bruce, 47, played 234 AFL games for Melbourne and Hawthorn, was part of the Hawks’ coaching staff during their 2013-15 three-peat and was named the AFL Coaches Association’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2025, Fox Sports reported. He runs Brisbane’s midfield and earlier this year rejected an approach to be part of Carlton’s coaching search, citing a desire to stay in Queensland, according to Fox Sports.
Brisbane is also reported to be considering former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley, who withdrew from North Melbourne’s search before the Kangaroos appointed Jaymie Graham.
Daly’s change of heart
Daly, 54, never played a senior AFL game and worked at Collingwood, North Melbourne and Richmond before becoming Brisbane’s general manager of football in late 2020. He declined to be part of West Coast’s coaching search in 2024 and Melbourne’s last year, Fox Sports reported.
Speaking to SEN last month, Daly said he was open to the role but would back whatever the club decided.
“There is a little bit of a desire there, yeah,” Daly said. “Whether that’s myself or someone like a Cam Bruce or Dale Morris (club assistants), or getting someone new in, that’ll be their decision and I’ll be happy with whatever they decide.”
Fagan has said he will return to Melbourne to be closer to his family, and Carlton and Collingwood have both been linked to him, Zero Hanger reported.
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