ASH McGrath has backed Leigh Matthews' return to the Brisbane Lions as football director, saying his former coach will bring back the culture that made the club a formidable force in the early 2000s.
The Lions announced on Wednesday night that the warring factions led by chairman Angus Johnson and Matthews had brokered a peace agreement, whereby Johnson, board challenger Paul Williams and fellow director Linda Nash would step down, with Bob Sharpless joining Matthews on a new-look board as the club’s new chairman.
Matthews' appointment sees him return to the club for the first time since finishing his 10-year coaching stint at the end of 2008.
McGrath said in Dublin on Wednesday the Lions' drawn-out board dispute had been "pretty messy", but was confident Matthews' return would help the club regain its winning culture of the early 2000s.
"To have Leigh back, he's going to bring back the old culture I think which will be really good," McGrath said.
"He's really strong-minded. It's something that the club needs and hopefully it can go forward into the finals next year."
Despite the club's recent off-field problems, McGrath said the Lions’ biggest issue in 2013 had been the playing group.
After winning just eight of their first 19 games, the Lions sacked coach Michael Voss. Brisbane rallied to win two of its final three games, even getting within a kick of an unlikely finals berth when it lost to Geelong by one point in the final round of the home and away season.
But McGrath said the Lions' 12th-place finish was an underachievement.
"The playing group just didn't perform. We had the stuff with Vossy getting the sack towards the end of the year which kind of threw the boys in a different direction," McGrath said.
"But it will be good to get back and get into pre-season and start the year over again."
In Ireland as part of Australia's International Rules team, McGrath was one of the best players in his team’s first Test loss at Breffni Park last Saturday night, providing a stingy last line of defence as goalkeeper.
McGrath said he had enjoyed playing the unfamiliar role despite the pressure that came with it.
