DANNY Daly will not coach Brisbane in 2027 but will be part of the panel to select the successor to Chris Fagan.
Daly has been the Lions' football manager for the past six seasons and was seen as a frontrunner alongside assistant coach Cameron Bruce to take over from the three-time premiership mentor.
However, following another physically and mentally taxing campaign, the 60-year-old will not be part of the process to replace Fagan, instead gaining an "elevated" role in the football department.
Brisbane confirmed on Wednesday that Daly, chairman Andrew Wellington, CEO Sam Graham, former Australian basketball captain and coaching mentor Phil Smyth and Lions board member Leigh Matthews would make up the selection panel.
They will be joined by club legend Simon Black and leading sports psychologist Matti Clements, who were both involved in the process to select Fagan in 2016.
"The appointment of our next senior coach is an important decision for the club's future, and I am pleased we have assembled an experienced and highly skilled panel to lead a thorough and considered process," Graham said.
"I am also pleased to confirm Danny Daly has accepted an elevated role as general manager football to lead our football program, recognising both his first-class leadership and his role overseeing our high performing football environment.
"We will now work through this process methodically and take the time required to identify the best person to coach our AFL team into its next chapter of sustained success."
Not pursuing the top job is a change of heart for Daly, who on the morning of Brisbane’s Grand Final win against Fremantle told SEN he had desires to be a senior coach.
"I'm a bit like Fages in terms of, you still battle a little bit with belief and the fact that you haven't played the game at the highest level," he said.
"I'd like to think that I potentially could be, but the way that footy is working at the minute – it goes around in roundabouts.
"There was a stage there where it was all about, Fages has set the trend, let's go for the older guy. But it seems to be now that it's all about going for the first-time young assistant coaches into the coaching role.
"There is a little bit of a desire there, yeah."
The Lions have confirmed Daly will be part of the selection panel to pick Fagan's replacement, alongside Chair Andrew Wellington, CEO Sam Graham and basketball legend Phil Smyth. Club great and board member Leigh Matthews will also act in an advisory capacity, with Brownlow winner Simon Black and sports psychologist Matti Clements to also be involved.
Daly has been a somewhat unheralded lieutenant in Brisbane's three-peat, as the man in the box who Fagan speaks to during matches.
He has been involved in full-time roles at AFL clubs since 2003, when he joined North Melbourne as an assistant coach under Dani Laidley.Â
He spent seven seasons at the Kangaroos before heading to work at Richmond under Damien Hardwick. Daly headed north to join the Lions in 2013 to work with then-senior coach Justin Leppitsch.Â
Daly took over the general manager of football role at Brisbane at the end of 2020 when David Noble departed to join North Melbourne as its senior coach.
"I am also pleased to confirm Danny Daly has accepted an elevated role as General Manager Football to lead our football program, recognising both his first-class leadership and his role overseeing our high performing football environment," Graham said on Wednesday.
"Danny has decided not to pursue the Senior Coach role and will play a key role in selecting and supporting the new coach as the club enters the next phase.
"We will now work through this process methodically and take the time required to identify the best person to coach our AFL team into its next chapter of sustained success."
