Lions veteran takes swipe at coach in 'sad' farewell act: 'Devastated'

·Sports Reporter

16 September 2022 at 11:25 pm·3-min read

Lions veteran Mitch Robinson (pictured right) after the Richmond game and (pictured left) Chris Fagan speaking to the team. — Lions veteran Mitch Robinson (pictured right) has taken a parting shot at coach Chris Fagan (pictured left) after announcing he had played his last game for the club. (Getty Images)

Lions veteran Mitch Robinson has taken a parting shot at coach Chris Fagan after announcing he had played his final game for the club.

Robinson shared the news after Geelong thumped the Brisbane Lions by 71 points at the MCG on Friday.

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Lifted by a heroic performance from star veteran Patrick Dangerfield on Friday, the Cats booked their second grand final appearance in three seasons by winning 18.12 (120) to 7.7 (49) in front of 77,677 fans.

However, after the game, Lions veteran Robinson announced he had played his final game in the jersey.

Robinson played in the Lions' victory over Richmond in week one of the finals.

But he didn't feature against either Melbourne or Geelong.

And after the club's disappointment of being eliminated, Robinson took to Instagram to thank the fans for their support and admitted his devastation at leaving.

He also took a swipe at Fagan for not allowing him to announce the news in a different manner.

"This was my last photo as a Lion," Robinson wrote on Instagram.

Mitch Robinson (pictured) celebrates during the 2022 AFL Second Elimination Final match against the Richmond Tigers. — Mitch Robinson (pictured) has played his final game for the Brisbane Lions. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images) (Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

"Happy beating the Tigers but sad knowing it'd be my last at the Gabba.

"Devastated Fages wouldn't allow me to announce this in person to the supporters and my teammates, but I guess that's footy...

"Thank you all for the last 8 years, I'll never forget the love you all showed me, Emma and my kids.

"I left it all out there every single game, I love you all."

Robinson joined the club in 2015 and represented the Lions 147 times.

He won the club's best and fairest award in his first season.

Geelong enter AFL grand final in hot form

Geelong will enter the September 24 decider on a 15-game winning streak and are guaranteed to start the game as warm favourites no matter if the Sydney Swans or Collingwood win the other preliminary final.

It was the Cats' sixth preliminary final since 2013, but they have not won a flag since 2011 and their only grand final appearance in that period was a loss to Richmond in 2020.

Young speedster Max Holmes is in some doubt for the decider after being subbed out with a hamstring injury in the third quarter.

The 20-year-old looked heartbroken on the bench, punching the ground, as Irishman Mark O'Connor was substituted into the match.

Tom Hawkins celebrates a goal during the AFL First Preliminary match. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/Getty Images) (Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

But Cats coach Chris Scott was confident Holmes had avoided serious damage and optimistic he would play in the grand final.

"I went down there thinking the worst (about Holmes), but I bounced out of the rooms," Scott said.

"It's not a sure thing but the quality of our medical staff, when they say they're optimistic, it gets me up on my toes."

Dangerfield set the tone for Geelong, booting the first goal of Friday night's match on his way to a first-quarter tally of nine touches and two majors.

The Brownlow medallist finished with 28 possessions, approaching the match with a steely determination to win the premiership that has eluded him in 302 games with Adelaide and the Cats.

with AAP

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