Lions coach responds after whispers about huge retirement backflip for Joe Daniher
The former All-Australian forward - who booted 395 goals in 204 AFL games for both Essendon and the Lions - has been linked with a move to the Sydney Swans in recent days. But Fagan says he's been keeping in touch with Daniher while the 31-year-old holidays in Europe and would be 'very surprised if Joey ever plays footy again', let alone with one of Brisbane's rivals.
Speaking before the Lions' clash with Port Adelaide at the Gabba on Saturday, Fagan emphatically shut down the prospect of Daniher making a comeback when asked by reporters. "I'm nearly 100 per cent sure, 99.99 per cent sure," Fagan said about the 31-year-old remaining retired.
"Joe is enjoying life at the moment and the other thing I'd be confident with is if he did (come back), he would play with us. I've been texting him a little bit while he's been in Portugal and Spain, enjoying life, so I don't think he'd be in great nick right now.
"I'd be very, very surprised if Joey ever plays footy again." Daniher was an integral part of Brisbane's charge to the premiership last year but retired with a year still to run on his contract, citing amongst other things, business interests outside of footy.
It was the perfect way to bow out as Daniher ended his glittering career by booting Brisbane's final goal in the 60-point grand final thumping of Sydney. And despite recent links to the Swans, veteran AFL reporter Jon Ralph echoed Fagan's comments by insisting the veteran is 'not making a shock comeback'.
"The market is so thin that clubs are asking about him,' Ralph told Fox Footy's Midweek Tackle. 'He's been linked to Sydney in the last week or two, of course they were the club that were really interested in him initially and then he found his way to Brisbane.
'Sydney's asking everyone including Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, but Daniher's really set up financially, he's not interested in the money. I think if he was a one per cent chance he'd come back to Brisbane anyway, people close to him say he is a zero per cent chance."
Fagan's second-placed Lions host the 10th-placed Power on Saturday fresh off a bye. But while Brisbane have lost just two games on the road since last season's mid-year bye, their 4-3 record at home this season is something Fagan is keen to fix after they went all of the 2023 regular season unbeaten at home.
"We've been a very good team on the road and we haven't been a very good team at the Gabba," Fagan said about the Lions' form in 2025. "(This week's been about) a bit of the why, but mostly what are we going to do about it. It's pretty important when teams come here teams they feel really uncomfortable."
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The Power (7-8) are two wins outside a crowded top-eight but Fagan knows how quickly things can change in the league and won't be allowing complacency to creep into their game. "You can have a loss and tumble three or four spots," the Brisbane coach said.
"We shouldn't feel comfortable ... and we play a team this weekend that's still a live chance to play finals, sort of where we were at the same stage last year. They'll be coming in all fired up, thinking they're a chance because of the way we've played at the Gabba."
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