The social media vitriol and 8kg gain behind maligned Hipwood’s resurgence

There was a period in Brisbane’s semi-final triumph of Adelaide that illustrated to coach Chris Fagan just how much Eric Hipwood had transformed public perception.

“There was a good moment in the game on Saturday night where the crowd was chanting his name, and I actually loved that,” Fagan gushed.

“He’s copped a fair bit of flack over the years from our supporters and from opposition supporters, and I just thought that was a real sign in the eyes of everyone that he’s turned a corner as a player.

The Lions’ forward has spent much of his career maligned in the eyes of the punters; targeted for wayward goal kicking and inconsistent form to become something of a whipping boy to fans.

So inundated had Hipwood become by the criticism, Fagan said the now 29-year-old removed himself from social media.

“It hasn’t been easy for him, he’s copped a fair bit of stick online and criticism about the way he plays the game, but I’ve been here for 10 years now, and I’ve never not picked him when he’s been available,” Fagan said ahead of Brisbane’s preliminary final clash with Hawthorn on Saturday.

“He’s felt it [the criticism], there’s no doubt about that. We’ve had chats about it, I think a few years ago he got off social media because it wasn’t worth reading some of the armchair warriors out there, the courageous people who hide in dark places and make comments.

“I think he’s matured and probably doesn’t listen to all that much any more, but it was great to hear the crowd chant his name.”

There had always been signs Hipwood had the potential to be a game breaker in Lions’ colours. But stringing those performances together became an issue that made him the subject of public tirades.

In 2024, he kicked 13 goals in a three-game stretch – including six majors against the Bulldogs and five against Port Adelaide – only to kick 7.6 from his next 11 games, albeit after spending some time as a make-shift defender.

Last year, he hit the scoreboard in each of his first seven games of the season (16 goals), before kicking just six from 13 appearances before succumbing to an ACL injury on the same knee he ruptured in 2021.

But Hipwood’s comeback from that stint in rehab against Richmond in round 14 has coincided with some of the most sustained outputs of his career. His purple patch of the past five weeks have included goals in each contest – 10 in total – while averaging 4.6 contested possession (against a career average of 4.05), 5.6 marks (4.55 career average) and 2.2 inside 50s across those outings.

Fagan noted the reborn tall was playing 8kg heavier, having “put some weight on that string bean of a body” during his rehabilitation periods. The coach believed that had been key in his growth and made him more confident in attacking contested moments.

“No doubt [it’s helped]. If there’s a good thing to come out of that knee reconstruction that’s probably been it,” Fagan said.