Brisbane midfielder Hugh McCluggage is aware of the impact his former coach and mentor of Brisbane's three-peat, Chris Fagan, will have on Carlton.
Fagan retired from the top role after a third consecutive premiership following four straight Grand Finals, but he wanted to remain in the AFL, with a move to Melbourne to be closer to family on the cards.
Multiple clubs had reached out, including Tasmania, Melbourne, Collingwood and the Blues, with the latter winning his services, helped by a close relationship with club chief executive Graham Wright, which they built at Hawthorn during the Alastair Clarkson era.
Fagan is Carlton's new director of coaching, and will impart his football wisdom to Josh Fraser, who is the club's new coach after a stellar interim tenure following the sacking of Michael Voss.
"A few of us young guys weren't warranting a game because of our form, but he was backing us in and showed faith in us for the long haul. And it's repaid him," McCluggage said on 3AW at the Melbourne Cup.
"Guys like Cam Rayner, Zac Bailey, Bez (Jarrod Berry), myself, who have been there the whole time, who have been a part of such a successful era, but there's been a lot of hard work that has gone into it.
"He devoted 24 hours a day to the footy club for 10 years, and I think he was really relieved and happy to retire. I'm stoked for him.
"I'm happy (he is going to Carlton). The last thing he wanted to do was go not do anything and go cold Turkey in footy. I'm jealous that the Blues have got him, but I know they'll be better for it.
"I'm also happy for Fages and that he's found himself a career post the Lions and back with family as well."
Cameron Bruce looms as the favourite to fill the Fagan void, while Nathan Buckley, Adam Simpson and Hayden Skipworth are all set to present to the club.
Bruce was an assistant under Fagan and has built steady experience at premiership-winning clubs.
"I think he'd be awesome," McCluggage said.
"All the guys up for the job would be awesome coaches in their own right. We know Brucey. Great midfield close, worked closely with him as a midfielder myself.
"He is a great tactical mind. Understands people, has close relationships with the group. Whether he gets it or not, I'm sure next year he'll come back in and be the same bloke.
"He'll be doing everything he can so we can be successful again.
"To be honest, it's good they're taking their time. We don't have contact with our head coach until pre-season, which is the end of November. So as a playing group, we're not too concerned.
"We have great leadership, and everyone is all over what we have to do (in the off-season). We have had the same S&C group for 10 years. We know our pre-season program."
