St Kilda Saints coach Ross Lyon has redirected a brewing rivalry with the Brisbane Lions, framing it as a symptom of a much larger systemic issue within the Australian Football League (AFL). The off-field tension, which began after St Kilda president Andrew Bassat criticized Brisbane’s access to the Ashcroft brothers in the draft despite their premiership success, was further fueled by Lions coach Chris Fagan’s remarks on the Saints’ recruiting strategy.\n\nLyon, addressing the media, consistently deflected the personal aspect of the exchange. \”It’s not personal, it’s business,\” he stated, emphasizing that his club’s grievance lies not with the Lions but with the AFL’s draft model itself. He argues the system creates a fundamental inequity that disproportionately disadvantages traditional Melbourne-based clubs and their supporters.\n\nLyon presented a poignant case from the perspective of the league’s heartland. \”Growing up in Melbourne, born in the 60s, following Carlton and all those big clubs… We’re asking a lot of Melbourne football people to keep rolling up for 20 years without a lot of hope, and seeing your side lose consistently,\” he said. He questioned the long-term cost of this competitive imbalance on the game’s most loyal fanbase, championing the original intent of the draft: to provide \”equity and equal access to elite talent.\”\n\nThe coach also dismissed recent criticism from former Gold Coast Suns chairman Tony Cochrane, who labeled the Saints ‘the Moaners’ and Lyon a \”20-time Brownlow Medallist at complaining.\” Lyon claimed to not even know who Cochrane was, refusing to engage with comments from figures he deemed outside the game. He concluded the press conference by steering focus back to on-field preparations for the upcoming match against the reigning premiers, humorously questioning the media’s preference for \”politics\” over the game itself.
AFL 2026: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has addressed his club’s off-field rivalry with Brisbane
