St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt has taken aim at Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan, accusing him of making unfair remarks about the Saints' recruiting strategy. Riewoldt believes Fagan's comments, suggesting the Saints' recruitment was a danger to the game, were off-the-mark and unfair to the players involved. He points out that the Lions themselves benefit from a strong academy and the ability to attract top talent, including the Ashcroft brothers and Jaspa Fletcher. Riewoldt suggests that Fagan's comments could be seen as a dig at the Lions' own success, and he believes the coach should reach out and apologize for his remarks. The Saints' president, Andrew Bassat, defended the club's recruitment strategy, aiming to improve their performance after a disappointing 12th-place finish in the past two seasons. The article also mentions the Lions' recent success, with their dual premiership team being rated as having the best crop of players aged 22 or under in the AFL. The debate over player salaries and recruitment strategies continues to be a hot topic in the AFL, with coaches and club leaders offering differing opinions on what is fair and beneficial for the league.
