Brisbane settle on Cameron Bruce as their next senior coach to replace departed Chris Fagan

Brisbane will appoint Cameron Bruce as their next senior coach.

The Lions have settled on the experienced assistant to succeed triple-premiership winner Chris Fagan, who walked away from the job days after winning the grand final.

The move is expected to be confirmed publicly by the club on Tuesday.

Fagan, who has since joined Carlton in a director of coaching role, left the Lions after a hugely successful 10-year stint that transformed the club into a powerhouse.

Bruce and football manager Danny Daly were immediately seen as the favourites for the role, but the latter opted not to go for it.

The Lions conducted an extensive process, with former AFL coaches Nathan Buckley and Adam Simpson among the leading contenders, along with Hayden Skipworth.

But they ultimately settled on Bruce, who has been at the club since 2021 and has been involved in six premiership as an assistant.

Bruce had been approached to enter the race for Carlton coaching race this year, but declined.

After finishing his 234-game playing career, Bruce joined the Hawks as a development coach before immediately being promoted to senior assistant under Alastair Clarkson.

He was a key member of Clarkson’s team that secured a premiership three-peat between 2013-2015 before he joined Carlton at the end of 2017.

Bruce spent four years at the Blues before joining Brisbane as the midfield coach.

Fagan has previously talked up Bruce as the perfect candidate.

“The only reason he hasn’t put his hand up for jobs in more recent years is that he loves it up here,” Fagan said on SEN last month.

“He’s got a young family that love it up here as well. So he hasn’t been inclined to move anywhere else, whereas, here’s an opportunity where he doesn’t have to go anywhere.

“I honestly think he would have an AFL coaching job right now if he had have decided to go for one of those jobs.”