Brisbane Lions co-captain Hugh McCluggage has slammed suggestions the club has an internal cultural problem, after two incidents drew the defending AFL champions into the spotlight.
During the premiers’ triumph over Essendon on Saturday, an image of the side’s whiteboard breaking down the Bombers’ individual strengths and weaknesses circulated on social media – believed to have been taken by a parent while attending an Auskick session at the Lions’ Springfield base.
Listed next to former Lion Jaxon Prior under his “strengths” was the name of his partner, Bronte.
“It’s obviously regrettable that got out, it wasn’t meant to be in the public,” McCluggage said.
“It was pretty strange when you win a game and come off the ground, and there are guys getting worded up about what’s going to get asked. It’s something we haven’t dealt with before.
“We’ll learn from it. Privacy and security needs to be lifted around the place.”
McCluggage said he had spoken with Prior about the whiteboard incident.
“If we had our time again we wouldn’t have involved his partner in it – it’s as simple as that.
“But things stand in a really good place. I’ve called him and have spoken to him about his partner as well, and we’ll leave it at that out of respect for the two of them.”
The incident was followed by revelations 2025 Brisbane draftee Koby Evans was under investigation by the AFL for allegedly issuing a homophobic remark in a reserve grade VFL game between the Lions and Coburg.
The club confirmed Evans was “extremely remorseful”, with McCluggage stressing “he’s a young man, and it’s a learning experience for him”.
“We’ve seen these instances in the AFL industry, but I don’t think it’s isolated to that.
“I think leaders in every walk of life have a responsibility to call this behaviour and language out.
“At the end of the day, we want to create environments where everyone feels welcome, everyone feels safe, and we’re probably not where we want to be as a society yet in that area.”
McCluggage defended the group and the dynamic they had built internally.
“I think we can see the bad things, and they take up a lot of the coverage, but there’s a lot of good as well,” he said.
“We’ve had a lot of journalists and outside people come into our club over the last two years, and I think all of them would say it’s a really inclusive environment, it’s a fun environment, and we set the foundations and the rules.
“Sometimes, there are going to be people who make mistakes, it’s life, that’s what happens in all walks of life. When it happens, we educate and learn and get better.”
McCluggage has been working his way back into form after suffering a calf injury in the opening minutes of Brisbane’s opening round defeat to the Bulldogs.
After three quiet games, the All-Australian burst back to form against the Bombers – kicking a goal and finishing with 25 disposals, seven inside 50s and nine clearances.
Five weeks spent on the sidelines were a rare absence for the 28-year-old, who has averaged more than 25 games a season since the 2021 campaign.
McCluggage said a 2022 trip to Nepal had instilled lessons that ensured he did not wallow in self-pity as he recovered, declaring he was back to full fitness in the lead-up to Friday’s clash with Carlton at the Gabba.
“I’ve got a lot of perspective. I’ve done a lot of things in my life – a trip to Nepal, for example – that has provided me with that,” McCluggage said.
“Seeing people in a third-world country who are so happy with not much makes you realise you can’t go complaining when you miss four weeks of footy. It’s as simple as that for me.”
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