Chris Fagan backs Brisbane whiteboard plan after leak
chris fagan says Brisbane will keep its whiteboard strategy sessions after a leaked photo of one board listing opponents’ strengths and weaknesses sparked backlash. The Lions will now install frosted glass at headquarters and write new rules for what can go on the board.
Brisbane headquarters changes
The leaked image showed a whiteboard used for match preparation, and the fallout quickly moved inside the club. Fagan said the board exercise will continue, but the setup around it will change after the leak exposed material that was meant to stay in-house.
“If that had been the case, we wouldn't even be talking about this stuff,” he said when confirming the window upgrades. He also said the club had talked through what is acceptable to write and what is not, adding: “So we're a little bit unlucky there but we also talked about what's OK to write on that board and what's not, and certainly writing a partner's name on the board isn't.”
Fagan defends the method
The reaction sharpened after Brisbane were criticized for listing former teammate Jaxon Prior’s strength as his long-time girlfriend. Fagan said the incident stood out because it was so unusual, adding: “I've probably done it 200 times and that's probably the first time the player's partner has ever been written on the board.”
He drew a line between the leak and the broader practice. “We'll continue doing our whiteboard... I'm unapologetic about that,” he said. “We're in a pretty tough business where you know every little thing matters.”
Fagan said the whiteboard sessions were started because he did not think the players knew enough about their opposition when he first arrived at Brisbane. That makes the board more than a one-off prop; it is part of how the club has prepared its group for opponents across the season.
Round 9 at the Gabba
The build-up to Carlton at the Gabba on Friday has already been shaped by off-field issues. Brisbane is still set to welcome junior footballers and their parents into the club, and Fagan said: “We're a pretty good footy club in that regard, in terms of looking after our community.”
Poor weather forced the planned outdoor clinic inside, which created the loose security that allowed the photo to get out. Brisbane now has a fresh set of frosted windows, tighter board rules and the same strategy work, just with less of it visible from outside.
