Unspoken rule behind Brisbane Lions' AFL revival
The 27-year-old is in arguably career-best form ahead of his 200th AFL game, against Western Bulldogs on Friday.
The first player drafted, at pick No.3 in 2016, by new coach Chris Fagan, McCluggage and the Lions finished last in 2017 and 15th in 2018.
What's happened since has exceeded even McCluggage's "wildest dreams", the Lions finishing second in 2019 and, after years of going close, winning a flag last year.
McCluggage extended his initial deal until 2024 and then defied keen interest elsewhere to sign a seven-year deal tying him to the Lions until 2031.
"I could see it was a tight group, and I was keen to help Zorks and Frog and those guys play in some finals, that was probably the aim at the start when sitting on the bottom," McCluggage said of his bond with veterans Dayne Zorko and Ryan Lester that first motivated the Victorian to remain in Brisbane.
"In our wildest dreams we couldn't imagine what we've done."
McCluggage, childhood mate Jarrod Berry, Zac Bailey and Cameron Rayner head a list of loyal Lions that have resisted the pull to return home.
As the Lions (second, 12-4-1) craft their push for back-to-back flags, McCluggage said Fagan and his staff had fostered an environment that was hard to leave.
"We never spoke about it (directly once, but it was one of those things you knew if you were to leave it'd be pretty hard to look them in the eyes and say, 'I'm going to go home'," McCluggage said.
"We're extremely close, Bez (Berry) is in the same camp as that and also Big O (Oscar McInerney); we've been here the whole time he (Fagan) has.
"A bit of a father figure to us … wraps an arm around you when he realises you need it but he is someone who can challenge you, and he's always wanted to help me grow in that way."
Always a potent distributor, McCluggage has worked on his defence and become a menacing goal-kicking threat at stoppages to present a lively case for maiden All Australian honours this season.
So impactful has McCluggage been that he's even attracted tags ahead of two-time Brownlow Medallist teammate Lachie Neale.
"It's been a different challenge for me," he said of that attention.
"Lucky I have Lachie to lean on … it's (being tagged) something that's a badge of honour.
"I can trust that if I'm getting tagged out of the game then someone ... will go into the midfield and do what needs to be done."
That battle will be key at the Gabba on Friday against a Bulldogs side one win outside the top eight.
Hugh McCluggage can only imagine how hard it would have been to tell his Brisbane Lions teammates he was leaving.
The 27-year-old is in arguably career-best form ahead of his 200th AFL game, against Western Bulldogs on Friday.
The first player drafted, at pick No.3 in 2016, by new coach Chris Fagan, McCluggage and the Lions finished last in 2017 and 15th in 2018.
What's happened since has exceeded even McCluggage's "wildest dreams", the Lions finishing second in 2019 and, after years of going close, winning a flag last year.
McCluggage extended his initial deal until 2024 and then defied keen interest elsewhere to sign a seven-year deal tying him to the Lions until 2031.
"I could see it was a tight group, and I was keen to help Zorks and Frog and those guys play in some finals, that was probably the aim at the start when sitting on the bottom," McCluggage said of his bond with veterans Dayne Zorko and Ryan Lester that first motivated the Victorian to remain in Brisbane.
"In our wildest dreams we couldn't imagine what we've done."
McCluggage, childhood mate Jarrod Berry, Zac Bailey and Cameron Rayner head a list of loyal Lions that have resisted the pull to return home.
As the Lions (second, 12-4-1) craft their push for back-to-back flags, McCluggage said Fagan and his staff had fostered an environment that was hard to leave.
"We never spoke about it (directly once, but it was one of those things you knew if you were to leave it'd be pretty hard to look them in the eyes and say, 'I'm going to go home'," McCluggage said.
"We're extremely close, Bez (Berry) is in the same camp as that and also Big O (Oscar McInerney); we've been here the whole time he (Fagan) has.
"A bit of a father figure to us … wraps an arm around you when he realises you need it but he is someone who can challenge you, and he's always wanted to help me grow in that way."
Always a potent distributor, McCluggage has worked on his defence and become a menacing goal-kicking threat at stoppages to present a lively case for maiden All Australian honours this season.
So impactful has McCluggage been that he's even attracted tags ahead of two-time Brownlow Medallist teammate Lachie Neale.
"It's been a different challenge for me," he said of that attention.
"Lucky I have Lachie to lean on … it's (being tagged) something that's a badge of honour.
"I can trust that if I'm getting tagged out of the game then someone ... will go into the midfield and do what needs to be done."
That battle will be key at the Gabba on Friday against a Bulldogs side one win outside the top eight.
Hugh McCluggage can only imagine how hard it would have been to tell his Brisbane Lions teammates he was leaving.
The 27-year-old is in arguably career-best form ahead of his 200th AFL game, against Western Bulldogs on Friday.
The first player drafted, at pick No.3 in 2016, by new coach Chris Fagan, McCluggage and the Lions finished last in 2017 and 15th in 2018.
What's happened since has exceeded even McCluggage's "wildest dreams", the Lions finishing second in 2019 and, after years of going close, winning a flag last year.
McCluggage extended his initial deal until 2024 and then defied keen interest elsewhere to sign a seven-year deal tying him to the Lions until 2031.
"I could see it was a tight group, and I was keen to help Zorks and Frog and those guys play in some finals, that was probably the aim at the start when sitting on the bottom," McCluggage said of his bond with veterans Dayne Zorko and Ryan Lester that first motivated the Victorian to remain in Brisbane.
"In our wildest dreams we couldn't imagine what we've done."
McCluggage, childhood mate Jarrod Berry, Zac Bailey and Cameron Rayner head a list of loyal Lions that have resisted the pull to return home.
As the Lions (second, 12-4-1) craft their push for back-to-back flags, McCluggage said Fagan and his staff had fostered an environment that was hard to leave.
"We never spoke about it (directly once, but it was one of those things you knew if you were to leave it'd be pretty hard to look them in the eyes and say, 'I'm going to go home'," McCluggage said.
"We're extremely close, Bez (Berry) is in the same camp as that and also Big O (Oscar McInerney); we've been here the whole time he (Fagan) has.
"A bit of a father figure to us … wraps an arm around you when he realises you need it but he is someone who can challenge you, and he's always wanted to help me grow in that way."
Always a potent distributor, McCluggage has worked on his defence and become a menacing goal-kicking threat at stoppages to present a lively case for maiden All Australian honours this season.
So impactful has McCluggage been that he's even attracted tags ahead of two-time Brownlow Medallist teammate Lachie Neale.
"It's been a different challenge for me," he said of that attention.
"Lucky I have Lachie to lean on … it's (being tagged) something that's a badge of honour.
"I can trust that if I'm getting tagged out of the game then someone ... will go into the midfield and do what needs to be done."
That battle will be key at the Gabba on Friday against a Bulldogs side one win outside the top eight.
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