Long a target of the “armchair warriors”, Chris Fagan labelled it a sign of trust restored when Eric Hipwood’s name echoed around the Gabba.
The half-forward from Caloundra had just kicked his second goal in the Brisbane Lions’ big win over Adelaide that sent them into a fifth-straight AFL preliminary final, against Hawthorn on Saturday at the MCG.
Fagan heard the “Eric, Eric, Eric” chants and referenced it on Monday when the side dissected the 53-point win which Hipwood sparked with some terrific moments to continue his career-best run of form.
“I love that, because he’s copped a fair bit of flak over the years from our supporters, and opposition supporters,” Fagan said on Thursday.
“That (chant) was a real sign in the eyes of everyone that he’s turned the corner as a player and they now trust and respect him.”
Hipwood, who turned 29 on Sunday, was 25 when he penned a six-year contract extension in 2022 that came with a heightened sense of expectation from the Lions faithful.
“It hasn’t been easy for him,” Fagan said.
“He’s copped a fair bit of stick online, criticism about the way he plays the game and stuff like that.
“I’ve been here for 10 years and never not picked him when he’s been fit.
“But he’s felt it; we’ve had chats about it, he got off social media …Â there’s a lot of armchair warriors out there.”
The Sunshine Coast product missed last year’s grand final when, recovering from a calf setback, scans discovered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in the same knee that had been surgically repaired four years earlier.
He’s returned from a second surgery eight kilograms heavier and a more imposing presence, crashing packs in the midfield to trigger Lions surges, collecting clean possessions, finding teammates off both feet and finishing nicely on his booming left foot.
“He managed to put some weight on that string bean of a body while he was out and it’s helped him,” Fagan said.
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Fagan was poised and patient in his Thursday address ahead of a maiden finals encounter with Hawthorn, whom he helped to four titles while serving in various roles in their football department.
Brisbane dominated in a 67-point triumph when they last met, barely a month ago, at the Gabba.
But Fagan said they didn’t even review that match this week.
“It’ll be different,” he said.
“We were coming off a really bad loss, were pretty fired up and they had an off game.
“They want what we want; we’re getting ready for the hardest game we’ll play this year.”
