Lions assistant set to win head coaching role

Cameron Bruce will be the next head coach of the Brisbane Lions.

According to Mitch Cleary, the Lions' assistant coach will succeed three-time premiership coach Chris Fagan, who walked away from the role following their premiership triumph against Fremantle.

Following Fagan's departure, football manager Danny Daly was immediately considered the favourite to win the role, before stepping aside to remain the Head of Football.

The coaching search was whittled down to four candidates, with Nathan Buckley, Adam Simpson, Hayden Skipworth and Bruce all in the running, with reports suggesting that Bruce has succeeded in his campaign.

Bruce, who played 234 games for Melbourne and Hawthorn, commenced his coaching career as a development coach at Hawthorn, before working as Alastair Clarkson's senior assistant across the club's threepeat from 2013-2015.

After four years with Carlton, Bruce joined Brisbane in 2021, working as the club's midfield coach across their four straight Grand Finals and their three straight flags.

Chris Fagan endorsed the incoming coach on SEN.

“The only reason he hasn’t put his hand up for jobs in more recent years is that he loves it up here,” Fagan said last month.

“He’s got a young family that love it up here as well. So he hasn’t been inclined to move anywhere else, whereas, here’s an opportunity where he doesn’t have to go anywhere.

“I honestly think he would have an AFL coaching job right now if he had have decided to go for one of those jobs.”