Leigh Matthews' iconic embrace was his best sporting moment ever
Matthews told Fagan in their famous post-match embrace: 'You've always been a premiership coach. Now you've coached a premiership team.'
The photograph of Leigh Matthews embracing Lions coach Chris Fagan after Brisbane's 2024 Grand Final win became iconic, and now the real story has emerged. Matthews told former player Alastair Lynch that the moment was 'the best moment in my sporting life'.
Matthews said he was standing on the interchange bench when the siren went, then locked eyes with Fagan and just gave him a thumbs up before embracing him. Leigh Matthews told Fagan: 'Mate, you've always been a premiership coach.
Now you've coached a premiership team. That's what coaching is all about.'
Matthews said he is not usually a hugger, but the moment with Fagan felt genuinely special. The pair had built the Lions together through their hardest early years, when they were still only winning five games.
- 2024
- Grand Final year
- Sydney
- Opponent
- Five games
- Early years wins threshold
- Andrew Wellington
- Chairman
Why it mattersIt reveals the human connection behind one of sport's most celebrated images and shows why mentorship and belief matter as much as tactics in building a premiership team.
AustraliaThe 2024 Grand Final was a major Australian sporting milestone, and Matthews' words explain the deeper story behind Lions' rise to dominance.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 39 min ago
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