Dunkley looking forward to 'exciting' times under Bruce

With the Brisbane Lions facing the challenge of being the first V/AFL side since 1930 to complete a four-peat, Josh Dunkley has backed new coach Cam Bruce to provide a fresh environment for the players.

Following their second three-peat this century with their last-minute comeback against Fremantle this year, Chris Fagan elected to leave his post, creating a once-in-a-lifetime opening in Springfield.

Having elected to open their search to external candidates, the Lions hierarchy elected to go in-house with the role by promoting assistant coach Cam Bruce to the position.

While the loss of Fagan is undoubtedly a huge void to fill, the four-time premiership player notes his ability to spread responsibility during his tenure should serve them well going forward without the 65-year-old in charge.

“It'll be a big hole,” Dunkley said on SENQ Breakfast.

“We were talking about it earlier, but one of the biggest things I noticed when I first came to the club was his delegation.

“He wants to make everyone around him better, not only the coaches, but the players as well.

“We've had that many conversations around ideas that I might have and things that I might be saying, but then he's like, ‘Nah, you gotta think about this, talk about this’, rather than say something directly, maybe ask a question to put the thought in their mind, and then they might come around and think about it, little things like that.

“But the guy that's coming in is Cam Bruce, who's been an understudy of his for nearly 20 years; like, he coached him 20 years ago, I'm fairly sure, and the other one that's a really important piece to us is Danny Daly; he's our GM of football.

“He's pretty much an assistant coach for the whole time he's been at the Brisbane Lions, and he's still there as well, so him and Brucey now will work together and continue on.”

But despite Bruce having come through the school of Fagan through his playing and coaching career, the former Bulldog is looking forward to what he has in store over the pre-season.

“I feel like there'll be a lot of similarities,” he continued.

“We haven't not won the last couple of years, so if it ain't broken, don't fix it.

“But there are little things I think within our game plan that he might tinker with a little bit, and he's a bit more modernised I'd say, like AI and all that these days.

“He's a bit more humorous than what Fages was. Fages would write stuff up on the whiteboard like a school teacher, and Brucey would probably put AI pictures up there and have a bit of a laugh with the group.

“Both guys are incredible role models and Brucey has learned off Fages over the last 20 odd years, and it's gonna be a very exciting time for us.

“Everyone's gonna be a little bit more on edge cos Fages are not there anymore.

“Like the mindset, these days and the ability to continue to be at the top level, you've got to really manage the mind a little bit, and that's when I reckon that's gonna help us.”

The Lions begin their hopes of a historic four-peat against Hawthorn at the Gabba on March 19.