This Lion once idolised the Magpies; now he’s trying to stop them

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On September 25 2010, a 10-year-old Keidean Coleman was at his grandmother’s house, watching the grand final with his younger brother, Blake. Both had their colours nailed to the mast.

“I had my Collingwood jersey on, had this little black-and-white footy as well, and my brother Blake was a St Kilda supporter,” he said at the Lions’ home base of Springfield this week.

Keidean Coleman celebrates after the team’s preliminary final win, in which he played a key role.Credit: Getty Images

The game was drawn. The next week, it was “Kiddy” who was ecstatic, and young Blake had his heart broken. Now, the brothers are playing for the Brisbane Lions, with Blake, the club’s top pick in 2020, yet to debut.

But Keidean has excelled since his arrival at the Lions in 2019, making his debut in round five the following year against the team he grew up supporting. “I still remember my first game, running out against Scotty Pendlebury, it was surreal,” he said.

He has rarely missed a match in the past three years. Against Carlton in last week’s preliminary final, he played the game of his life, cutting the Blues to pieces with his kicking from half-back, widely adjudged best on ground.

Coleman is a deceptive player. He confesses to anxiety before games, but looks casual. He moves at a graceful lope, relying more on lateral movement than speed, but has a turn of foot when required. He plays his role, but with a licence to take risks.

Against the Blues, he said, he just “tried to play within the system”.

“I didn’t want to do anything over-extravagant. But it was just one of those nights where the ball fell in my hands, and I was able to use it by foot and open the game up.

“We were playing a bit too direct, [so] we wanted to change the angles. I just thought to myself, why not take risks? It’s a prelim, nothing to lose, so change angles, be a bit more daring with our ball movement.”

The results were devastating for the Blues: Coleman had a game-high 11 intercepts and an equal-high seven score involvements, including one direct assist, an exquisite 50-metre pass to Joe Daniher.

Coleman’s use of the ball is a feature of his game.Credit: Getty Images

He might get nervous, but doesn’t allow himself to become paralysed. “I don’t try to rush myself,” he said. “Especially in my junior career, I don’t really think about the game too much, I just back myself, I know what I’m capable of.”

It hasn’t come easily. Born in Katherine and raised in Barunga (80 kilometres south-east of Katherine) – where, in 1988, the Barunga Statement was handed to then-prime minister Bob Hawke, who responded by promising a treaty with Indigenous Australians – both Keidean and Blake moved to Brisbane for school.

Back in the Top End, a lot of people will be watching him on Saturday. “I went back there last year, and it’s pretty funny, they think I’m a megastar, which is a bit embarrassing,” he said. “But they’re all excited, and hopefully, they’re barracking for the Lions.”

Coleman didn’t get picked up in his initial 2018 draft, but persevered as a member of the Brisbane academy. In 2019, he was a key cog in the Lions’ undefeated NEAFL premiership team, and was subsequently selected with pick 37 that year.

It hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing since. He was unexpectedly made the substitute for round 13 against Hawthorn this year, with coach Chris Fagan wanting him to tighten the defensive side of his game.

Again, he remained relaxed. “I was sort of second-guessing myself,” he said.

“After that I just thought to myself, back yourself, don’t think about the game too much. That’s when I play my best footy, when I’m just out there playing freely, playing on instinct.”

While there are no torn feelings, he appreciates the strangeness of playing off against the team he grew up loving. He idolised Collingwood’s Indigenous star Leon Davis, as well as Dane Swan and Luke Ball. “It’s pretty ironic, and weird to think about.”

But things are different now.

“Collingwood have shown this year they finished on top for a reason,” he said. “I’ll be pretty confident in going out there and doing what I’ve done [against Carlton].

“I’m excited, I’ll just back my skills in.”

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