“Who’s Tony Cochrane?”: Lyon’s cheeky jab back at ex-Suns chief

Tony Cochrane, the chief pot stirrer, took aim at St Kilda and Ross Lyon earlier this week.

Regarding the club's back and forth with the Lions about skewing the market and perceived draft inequity, ex-Gold Coast chairman Cochrane said: “I think they should be called the ‘Moaners’.

“Their coach is a 20-time Brownlow Medallist at complaining about and distracting of their own agenda.”

Lyon returned serve on Thursday, wondering who exactly Cochrane is.

“I don’t even know who Tony Cochrane is,” Lyon said at his press conference with a confused yet wry look on his face.

“Who’s Tony Cochrane? No, seriously.”

Lyon was then told that Cochrane is the former CEO of the Suns.

“Oh is he? Former… so he’s not in the game anymore? Is he in the game? Ohhh, he’s a supporter.

“I don’t comment on supporters. I don’t comment on comments.”

On a serious note, Lyon made it clear that his words and those of Fagan in recent times should not be seen as a spat.

“I don't think we're really duking it out,” Lyon said.

“I don't think it's about Brisbane. It's a wider issue that the club has been championing about equity and equal access to early talent. Anyone who really dives into it and has a passion to understand it can understand that. The data doesn't lie.

“And then there's the business model. Growing up in Melbourne and following Carlton and the big clubs, we're asking a lot of Melbourne football people to keep rolling up for 20 years and see the senior side lose consistently.

“What we're asking of the heartland of football is big. What cost is the inequity to the heartland of the game?

“What's been said and done has been said and done. We don't need any counselling.”

The Saints and the Lions have traded public words over the past few months, culminating in a fascinating clash between the two clubs this weekend.

Gerard Whateley summarised the situation perfectly, saying: “Chris Fagan pointed out that the Saints over-skewed the market by overpaying some players, the Saints got prickly about that and wanted Fagan censured.

“And they meet this Saturday at Marvel Stadium with all of that as a spicy backdrop.”

Former Gold Coast chairman Cochrane, a staunch supporter of footy in the northern states, believes the Saints have been too busy moaning.

He didn’t miss St Kilda coach Lyon either, describing him as a “Brownlow Medallist at complaining”.

“The Saints are the most mismatched-named club in the world,” Cochrane said on SEN’s Whateley.

“I think they should be called the ‘Moaners’. That would be a better name than the Saints because they always seem to be complaining about something.

“It’s always everybody’s else’s fault whatever is happening in their world.

“Their coach is a 20-time Brownlow Medallist at complaining about and distracting of their own agenda.

“I have a lot of time for Chris Fagan, he’s proven to the world that he was perhaps the most unlikely coach ever to win a premiership, let alone two.

“He’s done an absolutely stunning job with the Brisbane Lions. I think when you’ve won back-to-back premierships - and he nearly could have won three in a row - when you’re in that position that gives you a right to make a commentary about your observation of the game and the players in the game and what you think is worthy of note.

“Chris Fagan doesn’t need Tony Cochrane to be an apologist for him, but to my mind Chris Fagan was fully entitled to make the comment and to observe that are we now starting to pay too much in some places.

“I think every list manager is sitting there thinking the exact same thing. So where does this all end up? I’m not quite sure.

“Really, the Saints just need to go and play football, don’t they?

“We’re a bit over hearing all the various moaning that’s gone on.”

Fagan spoke on the issue on Thursday, insisting that the increased price tag on players is not solely on St Kilda.

“I've been involved in the game for a long time, and I don't very often choose to speak out about big ticket issues like that,” Fagan said.

“I've watched the trend over the last few years, and this is not just St Kilda, this is all clubs, contracts seem to be getting longer and longer and longer.

“Then along comes St Kilda and decides they want to pay those players the amount of money they did.

“I'm thinking to myself, for the good of the game, is that what we want here? Do we want this sort of marketplace where offers to players become ridiculous?

“I wanted the opportunity to raise that so we could debate that as an industry, so that's what I did. I think it is important we do that.”

All eyes on Marvel this Saturday from 12:35pm AEDT.