Lions happy to hunt in an empty stadium
BRISBANE senior coach Chris Fagan says the “eeriness’ of empty stadiums this AFL season will not spook the Lions.
Brisbane will take on Hawthorn at an empty MCG tomorrow due to the competition-wide spectator ban imposed because of the coronavirus.
Fagan was an interested TV viewer on Thursday night when reigning premiers Richmond opened the season with a win over Carlton at the fanless home of football.
He said the strange atmosphere could work in Brisbane’s favour.
“It was interesting to watch a game without a crowd and to watch how the players coped with that. No doubt they all found it very, very different,’’ Fagan said.
“We are a little bit fortunate up here at the Gabba. We get to train on the Gabba so we train on a big empty stadium on a regular basis. That eeriness is something not unfamiliar to us.’’
Fagan coached from the interchange bench last season when the Gabba was packed to the rafters with Brisbane surging up the ladder from the outhouse to the penthouse and into their first finals series for 10 years.
And he said a few minor alterations might need to take place to his coaching style while crowds are not a part of the game.
“It’s probably fair to say you can’t yell out as much because the opposition in the coaches box will be able to hear what you are saying so we’ll just be a little quieter,’’ Fagan said.
“I don’t think too much else will change. It was obviously interesting to hear the amount of voice that goes on on the field.’’
Brisbane trained on the Gabba on Thursday night.
Fagan is looking forward to seeing four-time premiership Hawk Grant Birchall’s influence on the Brisbane side.
“Birch is a really steady sort of a character. He brings a calmness to our defensive unit and he obviously brings a lot of experience which he’s been able to pass on throughout the pre-season,’’ he said.