David King believes Brisbane’s win over Melbourne on Thursday night was a tactical masterclass, praising Chris Fagan and his coaching box for their calls.
The Dees were pulled apart by the Lions, who took 120 uncontested marks and cut Melbourne’s defensive grid apart.
King admits he hasn’t been a huge fan of Fagan’s tactical nous in recent years, but says he nailed it overnight.
“I thought it was the best coaching performance from Chris Fagan in a long time,” King told SEN Breakfast.
“They’ve won some big games and they’ve won bigger games than this. They’ve been in the primetime spotlight for a few years now, but last night I thought that the tactical brilliance that he showed … they’re the first team that’s put meaningful time into Christian Petracca post stoppage.
“We know he tends to leak forward, he did it against Port Adelaide for great success, and Alex Neal-Bullen comes up and assumes his role and do the defensive actions.
“Forward of centre, Petracca is the best player in the competition. So to see them put a wingman to him at stoppages time and time again. It was Jarrod Berry, it was Jaspa Fletcher, it was Callum Ah Chee, they did the job. It was a big tick tactically.
“Then there was the uncontested mark game, which I don’t really like as a style of footy, but the way they set this game up, it forced Melbourne to play Brisbane’s game rather than the other way around.
“In the end, they brained them at stoppage. They were +15 points in the first three quarters. 10 scores to four from clearance and it was game over, simple as that.
“They’ve always had the talent, so what was different about last night? It was the tactical nous of Fagan and his coaches box. That coaches box, I don’t think it’s ever been (praised). I can’t remember anyone saying ‘great coaching performance’.”
It doesn’t get much easier for Brisbane, with Geelong and GWS in the next fortnight.
But at least they have arrested a three-game losing streak to now own a 2-3 record which has them back in the top-eight hunt.
