Brisbane Lions
Encyclopedia
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football
club which plays in the Australian Football League
(AFL). The club is based in Brisbane
, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears
and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996. It is the most successful AFL club of the last decade (2000–2009), having appeared in four consecutive AFL Grand Final
s between 2001
and 2004
, winning three (2001, 2002 and 2003).
and the Fitzroy Lions
combined to form the Brisbane Lions. The merged entity played its home games at The Gabba.
Prior to the merge the Brisbane Bears
had enjoyed a successful season, losing a preliminary final to the eventual premiers, North Melbourne
. In contrast, Fitzroy
had finished in last place for two successive seasons, although they contained a number of promising young players.
The Brisbane Lions were officially launched on 1 November 1996, joining the national competition in 1997.
In their first year in the AFL the Lions made the finals, finishing in eighth position after being defeated by the St Kilda Football Club in a Qualifying Final. The following year, however, they finished in last position, despite boasting a talented playing list. Accordingly, inaugural coach John Northey
was sacked with eight rounds remaining in the season. During the off-season the club hired Leigh Matthews
, who in 1990 had delivered Collingwood its first premiership since 1958.
Matthews, who was voted "Player of the Century" in 2000, played his entire career with Hawthorn
and brought many of the Hawthorn disciplines to the Lions. Within a season the Lions rose from the bottom of the ladder to 4th, before losing to the eventual Premiers the Kangaroos in the Preliminary Final.
15.18 (108) to 12.10 (82) in the 2001 AFL Grand Final
. Lions utility player Shaun Hart
won the Norm Smith Medal
as best on ground in the Grand Final
. On the morning after winning the flag, the club took the Premiership Cup to the Brunswick Street Oval
in Fitzroy, the original home of the Fitzroy Football Club
. It was an important way of connecting with Melbourne-based Lions fans, many of whom had previously supported Fitzroy, and of winning over disaffected Fitzroy fans who had not started supporting the Brisbane Lions post-merger by honouring the history of the club. The Premiership Cup then made its historic first trip to Brisbane, a traditionally rugby league
focused city.
In the same year, Brisbane Lion (and former Bear) midfielder Jason Akermanis
won the league's highest individual honour, the Brownlow Medal
.
In 2002, the Lions won back-to-back Premierships when they defeated Collingwood
9.12.66 to 10.15.75 in the 2002 AFL Grand Final
in cold and wet conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
. Early in the contest the Lions lost both ruckman Beau McDonald and utility player Martin Pike (who had already amassed 9 possessions in the first quarter) to injury and had to complete the match with a limited bench. Despite not scoring a goal in the first quarter, the undermanned Lions overcame a spirited Collingwood in the closest Grand Final in 15 years. Controversy surrounded the awarding of the Norm Smith medal for best player in the Grand Final to Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley. The voting panel cast its votes 20 minutes before the conclusion of the match. However, Lions captain Michael Voss was dominant in the final quarter to lead his team to victory and many speculated that, had voting taken place at the final siren, Voss may have won the award over Buckley. The voting procedure was changed for subsequent Grand Finals.
In the same year, Brisbane Lion midfielder Simon Black
won the Brownlow Medal
for best and fairest player of the 2002 season.
In 2002 former Brisbane lawyer Michael Bowers became Chief Executive Officer as part of a move to turn around the club's problematic finances.
In 2003, the Brisbane Lions became the first Grand Finalist in AFL history to have three Brownlow Medallists in its lineup, the three being 1996 winner Michael Voss
, 2001 winner Jason Akermanis
and 2002 winner Simon Black
.
With a number of players under an injury cloud – and having lost to Collingwood in a semi-final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
two weeks previously – the Lions went into the game as underdogs. However, they sealed their place in history as an AFL dynasty by thrashing the Magpies
in cool but sunny conditions. At one stage in the final quarter the Lions led by almost 80 points before relaxing when the match was well and truly won, allowing Collingwood to score the last four goals. The final score of 20.14 (134) to 12.12 (84) saw the club become only the fourth in VFL/AFL history to win three consecutive premierships and the first since the creation of the AFL. Simon Black claimed the Norm Smith Medal with a dominant 39 possession match, the most possessions ever gathered by a player in a grand final.
, Jonathan Brown, Nigel Lappin
, and the retirements of Premiership players such as Marcus Ashcroft
, Alastair Lynch
, Martin Pike
, Shaun Hart
and Craig McRae
had taken its toll and the club played more first year players than any other side in the competition.
The Lions began the 2006 season
optimistically, but injuries again plagued the club, whose players recorded an AFL record total of 200 matches lost to injury for the season.
Justin Leppitsch
was forced to retire through injury and with season ending injuries to prominent players Nigel Lappin
, Chris Scott
, Ashley McGrath
, Richard Hadley
, Anthony Corrie
and key ruckman Jamie Charman
. Coach Leigh Matthews was forced to debut an unprecedented number of youngsters and rookies and due to this, the club experienced inconsistent results. While many of the new youngsters displayed great promise, and continued to attack the ball and tackle opponents in typical Brisbane Lions spirit, it became evident during the final few matches that the young Lions were clearly into rebuilding mode. With AFL Rising Star nominations to Michael Rischitelli
, Cheynee Stiller
and Matthew Moody
, and the emergence of rookie Jason Roe among others, the future looks promising, but the realists also know that the rebuilding phase will take a few years.
Despite the young team losing more home games than ever before, and reducing the Gabba's status as a fortress that intimidated opposition teams, the Lions still produced average crowds the equal of the NRL
Premiership team Brisbane Broncos
.
Justin Leppitsch and Brad Scott announced their retirements during the season. A controversial and high-profile feud between the club and Jason Akermanis
divided supporters of the club and received massive publicity, resulting in Akermanis being stood down for the last seven matches of the season by his senior playing peer group, who felt that his loyalty to the club and playing group was compromised.
After the 2006 home and away season it was revealed that major sponsor AAPT
would not be renewing their sponsorship. It was announced shortly after that Vodafone
had signed a sponsorship deal with the club worth A$5.4 million over three years.
The Brisbane Lions team of the decade fullback Mal Michael
announced his retirement from football on 5 October 2006 due to lack of motivation and desire to pursue other non-football related activities. While at the Lions he was one of the premier fullbacks in the AFL and was somewhat unlucky not to receive an All-Australian honour and was a pivotal figure at the Brisbane Lions, playing a significant role in each of the grand finals contested. In highly controversial circumstances, a contract loophole enabled Michael to sign with the Essendon Bombers and continue his career there.
The captain, Michael Voss
, also announced his retirement from football on 6 October 2006 due to the stress placed on his body from years of football and a chronic knee injury. He was the co-captain of the team from 1997 to 2000 with Alastair Lynch
before leading the side for the remainder of his career, including the historic three straight premierships. In his final season of football, Voss still played 21 out of a possible 22 games, missing one game through knee soreness which turned out to be the same knee which led to his retirement.
At the completion of the 2006 season Chris Johnson
remained as the last ever representative of the Fitzroy Football Club to be playing senior AFL football.
The Brisbane Lions finished runner up in the 2007 NAB Cup
and then went on to create history by being the first team in the history of the AFL to have five co-captains. They started the season with a convincing 25 point win over Hawthorn
, 9.15.(69) to 6.8.(44) and a massive win, after tributes to former captain, Michael Voss
, against the St Kilda Football Club, with a 52 point margin.
On 12 May 2007, the Lions marked Leigh Matthews' 200th game in charge of the team against the Crows
One week later, on 19 May 2007, against Mal Michael's new team, the Essendon Bombers, the Lions began confidently but eventually succumbed to their biggest loss in season 2007 by a margin of 64 points. The Lions lost to Collingwood
by 33 points at the Gabba in Round 9 and drew with Richmond
at Docklands Stadium with the final scores 10.13 (73)apiece.
On 7 June 2007 Lions co-captain Simon Black
and former Lions captain Michael Voss
were charged for an assault that allegedly took place on the eve of the 2006 AFL Grand Final. Against Jason Akermanis
' new side, the Western Bulldogs
, in Round 11, the Lions yet again began confidently, kicking the first two goals of the game before being overrun. The Lions failed to score a goal in the second quarter but came back in the last to reduce the margin to 23 points, holding the Bulldogs goalless in the final term. Akermanis kicked two consecutive goals in the first quarter to take the margin out to 15 and 21 points respectively.
At a rainy Kardinia Park two weeks later, the Lions failed to score a goal in the first half and never looked like coming back, going down to their second biggest loss of the season so far. On 30 June 2007, Brisbane faced Port Adelaide
and led by seven points at quarter time before being overrun in the second, the Power kicking seven goals to two to led by 19 points at half-time. At three-quarter time, the Lions were down by 28 points and 40 points a few minutes early into the final term before they fought back to level the scores at 105-all courtesy of a Jonathan Brown goal from a free kick. A minute later a 50-metre penalty
gifted Port Adelaide's Brett Ebert a goal and managed to hold on for a seven point win.
On 22 July 2007 the Lions faced a struggling Carlton Blues
side who were on the back of a 62-point thrashing to Sydney
the previous week. Brisbane kicked 8.5–0.3 in the last quarter, the final margin being 117 points, Brisbane's biggest ever win over Carlton, bettering their 103-point loss to Carlton in Round 10, 1987. Also, gun forward Jonathan Brown became the first player in Brisbane Lions/Brisbane Bears
history to kick 10 goals in a match, beating Brad Hardie
(1989
) and Daniel Bradshaw
(2005
) who both kicked nine goals. This resulted in the sacking of the opposition coach
after a run of poor results.In Round 17, the Lions celebrated their return to the Melbourne Cricket Ground with a 93 point defeat of Collingwood
. Jared Brennan played one of the best games in his 54 game career, scoring seven goals and five behinds.
Rhan Hooper
received a three match ban for striking Hawthorn's Rick Ladson
, Joel Macdonald
and Troy Selwood
missed the must-win clash against Sydney
. Brisbane started off well with Richard Hadley
booting the first goal of the game but poor kicking and too many turnovers saw them trail by 10 points at quarter-time before Jonathan Brown evened the scores at 24-all at half-time. The Lions failed to score a goal in the third time-scoring 0.3 to the Swans' 3.5. However, they jumped straight out of the blocks in the first 3 minutes, with Jonathan Brown putting the Lions in front with his second for the night. But with less than four minutes remaining, Brett Kirk
thought he'd won the game for Sydney only for Jonathan Brown to kick a 55-metre goal just before the full-time siren to secure a 9.9 (63) to 8.15 (63) draw.
The Lions failed to make the finals for a third successive year and lost Chris Johnson
and Chris Scott
to retirement. Youngster Cameron Wood
was traded to Collingwood
in exchange for Pick 14, which the Lions gave to Melbourne
for Travis Johnstone
. On the last day of the 2007 trade week, Richard Hadley
was traded to Carlton for pick #52.
The Lions began the 2008 NAB Cup
shakily, losing to Essendon by 27 points. The 2008 home and away campaign started with a game against the West Coast Eagles
at Subiaco Oval
, in which the Lions lost by 16 points. In their second match at home at the Gabba, the Lions wrestled with an in form Collingwood and eventually triumphed by two points. Jed Adcock scored the winning goal for the Lions. After a 17-point loss to the Sydney Swans
the next week (Rivalry Round), the Lions managed a record breaking comeback against Port Adelaide
after turning around a 47-point deficit half way through the third quarter, to come out winners by 20 points by the final siren. The Lions were then defeated by Hawthorn by 12 points followed by a sound victory over Melbourne by 52 points. They suffered another defeat to Geelong by 27 points followed by the Lions' first consecutive wins for the season with wins over Carlton by 33 points and Saint Kilda by 46 points. This was followed up by wins over North by 31 points and Fremantle by 22 points. The winning streak would eventually be snapped by a defeat from the Bulldogs by 63 points. The team struggled for the rest of the season and missed out on the finals with a 10–12 record, losing 3 games despite having at least 5 more scoring shots in each of those games. Coach Leigh Matthews resigned at the end of the season after 10 seasons and 3 premierships with the club.
under new senior coach Micahel Voss by registering a 9 point win over St Kilda. However this was followed by a series of losses in the pre-season to Essendon
, Melbourne
and Richmond
. The Lions then began the Premiership season well with wins against recent premiers the West Coast Eagles
and hoodoo rivals, the Sydney Swans
. However, the Lions lost their strong form against Carlton
with a loss of 19 points. The Lions went on to make the finals for the first time since 2004; in their elimination final against Carlton at the Gabba they trailed by as much as five goals midway through the final quarter but came back and won by seven points. Their season ended abruptly with a 51-point loss to the Western Bulldogs
the following week at the MCG.
The 2009/2010 off-season was dominated by the arrival of Brendan Fevola
from Carlton, and the hype was focused on Fevola and Jonathan Brown in the sense that the Lions could capitalise on their strong 2009 season. Indeed, the Lions won their first four matches of the 2010 season to be top of the ladder after four rounds, but they would only win three more games after that to crash to a lowly finish by seasons end. One of those wins however, was against eventual premiers .
The Lions' 2010/2011 off-season was disrupted by the sacking of Fevola after just one season at the Lions, following repeated off-field indiscretions which included getting drunk in the Brisbane streets during New Years' Eve celebrations. On the field, the Lions won only four games for the year, but only one against any Victorian team, and that was , in Round 9. Despite their worst season since 1998, coach Michael Voss
was granted a contract extension after the board recommended that Voss was the best man to take the club forward into the future. Leading into season 2012, only two players from the triple-premiership winning team of 2001–2003 will remain: Simon Black
and Jonathan Brown.
.
, the French national anthem.
We are the pride of Brisbane town
We wear maroon, blue and gold
We will always fight for victory
Like Fitzroy and Bears of old
All for one and one for all
We will answer to the call
Go Lions, Brisbane Lions
We’ll kick the winning score
You’ll hear our mighty roar!
Grand Finalists
Coaches
Captains
Biggest home crowds
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club which plays in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). The club is based in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996. It is the most successful AFL club of the last decade (2000–2009), having appeared in four consecutive AFL Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
s between 2001
2001 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2001.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane Lions 17.9 to 3.8 in the Final....
and 2004
2004 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St...
, winning three (2001, 2002 and 2003).
History
On 4 July 1996 the Australian Football League (AFL) approved the first ever club merger in VFL/AFL history. The Brisbane BearsBrisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
and the Fitzroy Lions
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
combined to form the Brisbane Lions. The merged entity played its home games at The Gabba.
Prior to the merge the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
had enjoyed a successful season, losing a preliminary final to the eventual premiers, North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
. In contrast, Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
had finished in last place for two successive seasons, although they contained a number of promising young players.
The Brisbane Lions were officially launched on 1 November 1996, joining the national competition in 1997.
The Lions: 1997–2000
John Northey
John "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
was sacked with eight rounds remaining in the season. During the off-season the club hired Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
, who in 1990 had delivered Collingwood its first premiership since 1958.
Matthews, who was voted "Player of the Century" in 2000, played his entire career with Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
and brought many of the Hawthorn disciplines to the Lions. Within a season the Lions rose from the bottom of the ladder to 4th, before losing to the eventual Premiers the Kangaroos in the Preliminary Final.
Triple premiership success: 2001–2003
The club won its first AFL Premiership by defeating EssendonEssendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
15.18 (108) to 12.10 (82) in the 2001 AFL Grand Final
2001 AFL Grand Final
The 2001 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
. Lions utility player Shaun Hart
Shaun Hart
Shaun Hart is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire Australian Football League at the Brisbane Lions where he was a premiership winning utility player known for his courage...
won the Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
as best on ground in the Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
. On the morning after winning the flag, the club took the Premiership Cup to the Brunswick Street Oval
Brunswick Street Oval
The Brunswick Street Oval, currently known as WT Peterson Community Oval, also known as the Fitzroy Cricket Ground is a cricket and Australian rules football ground located in Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North, Victoria...
in Fitzroy, the original home of the Fitzroy Football Club
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
. It was an important way of connecting with Melbourne-based Lions fans, many of whom had previously supported Fitzroy, and of winning over disaffected Fitzroy fans who had not started supporting the Brisbane Lions post-merger by honouring the history of the club. The Premiership Cup then made its historic first trip to Brisbane, a traditionally rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
focused city.
In the same year, Brisbane Lion (and former Bear) midfielder Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
won the league's highest individual honour, the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
.
In 2002, the Lions won back-to-back Premierships when they defeated Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
9.12.66 to 10.15.75 in the 2002 AFL Grand Final
2002 AFL Grand Final
The 2002 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 2002. It was the 106th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
in cold and wet conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. Early in the contest the Lions lost both ruckman Beau McDonald and utility player Martin Pike (who had already amassed 9 possessions in the first quarter) to injury and had to complete the match with a limited bench. Despite not scoring a goal in the first quarter, the undermanned Lions overcame a spirited Collingwood in the closest Grand Final in 15 years. Controversy surrounded the awarding of the Norm Smith medal for best player in the Grand Final to Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley. The voting panel cast its votes 20 minutes before the conclusion of the match. However, Lions captain Michael Voss was dominant in the final quarter to lead his team to victory and many speculated that, had voting taken place at the final siren, Voss may have won the award over Buckley. The voting procedure was changed for subsequent Grand Finals.
In the same year, Brisbane Lion midfielder Simon Black
Simon Black
Simon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill...
won the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
for best and fairest player of the 2002 season.
In 2002 former Brisbane lawyer Michael Bowers became Chief Executive Officer as part of a move to turn around the club's problematic finances.
In 2003, the Brisbane Lions became the first Grand Finalist in AFL history to have three Brownlow Medallists in its lineup, the three being 1996 winner Michael Voss
Michael Voss
Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
, 2001 winner Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
and 2002 winner Simon Black
Simon Black
Simon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill...
.
With a number of players under an injury cloud – and having lost to Collingwood in a semi-final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
two weeks previously – the Lions went into the game as underdogs. However, they sealed their place in history as an AFL dynasty by thrashing the Magpies
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in cool but sunny conditions. At one stage in the final quarter the Lions led by almost 80 points before relaxing when the match was well and truly won, allowing Collingwood to score the last four goals. The final score of 20.14 (134) to 12.12 (84) saw the club become only the fourth in VFL/AFL history to win three consecutive premierships and the first since the creation of the AFL. Simon Black claimed the Norm Smith Medal with a dominant 39 possession match, the most possessions ever gathered by a player in a grand final.
Finals misses: 2005–2008
The Lions had an inconsistent season in 2005 and fell away badly towards the end, losing many games by very large margins. This culminated in a record 139-point defeat at the hands of the St Kilda, whom they previously defeated in Round 1 in a controversial encounter. They finished a disappointing eleventh – out of the Finals for only the second time in the club's history. When able to field its strongest lineup, the Lions produced some strong performance reminiscent of its triple Premiership days. However, injuries to Justin LeppitschJustin Leppitsch
Justin "Leppa" Leppitsch is a former Australian rules footballer who was a key defender for the Brisbane Lions.Leppitsch played with the Hawthorn Under 19s as a 16-year old in 1991, however did not make the Hawks' senior list...
, Jonathan Brown, Nigel Lappin
Nigel Lappin
Nigel Lappin is a former professional Australian rules footballer.Lappin was born in Corowa, New South Wales, but grew up in Chiltern, Victoria and was drafted to play for the Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League in 1993, playing his first AFL game the following year...
, and the retirements of Premiership players such as Marcus Ashcroft
Marcus Ashcroft
Marcus Ashcroft is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who holds the records for the most games for the Brisbane Bears/Brisbane Lions. He is currently on the coaching panel of the Gold Coast Football Club.-Early life:Ashcroft was born on the Gold Coast to a family from Melbourne...
, Alastair Lynch
Alastair Lynch
Alastair Graeme Lynch is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League . He is best known as a three time premiership full-forward for the Brisbane Lions....
, Martin Pike
Martin Pike
Martin Pike is a former Australian Football League player who played with four clubs during 13 seasons...
, Shaun Hart
Shaun Hart
Shaun Hart is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire Australian Football League at the Brisbane Lions where he was a premiership winning utility player known for his courage...
and Craig McRae
Craig McRae
Craig McRae is a former Australian rules footballer.Originally from South Australian National Football League club Glenelg, McRae was drafted by AFL club Brisbane as the 22nd pick in the 1994 draft and had an immediate impact, kicking two goals in his first game in 1995, and played every game of...
had taken its toll and the club played more first year players than any other side in the competition.
The Lions began the 2006 season
2006 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final...
optimistically, but injuries again plagued the club, whose players recorded an AFL record total of 200 matches lost to injury for the season.
Justin Leppitsch
Justin Leppitsch
Justin "Leppa" Leppitsch is a former Australian rules footballer who was a key defender for the Brisbane Lions.Leppitsch played with the Hawthorn Under 19s as a 16-year old in 1991, however did not make the Hawks' senior list...
was forced to retire through injury and with season ending injuries to prominent players Nigel Lappin
Nigel Lappin
Nigel Lappin is a former professional Australian rules footballer.Lappin was born in Corowa, New South Wales, but grew up in Chiltern, Victoria and was drafted to play for the Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League in 1993, playing his first AFL game the following year...
, Chris Scott
Chris M. Scott
Christopher Michael "Chris" Scott is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League best known as being a dual premiership player with the Brisbane Lions and is a current premiership AFL coach of the Geelong Football Club.-AFL career:Scott was picked by the Brisbane Bears...
, Ashley McGrath
Ashley McGrath
Ashley Vernon McGrath is an indigenous Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.Selected in the 2000 AFL Draft with the thirteenth pick overall, the Brisbane Lions recruited the talented forward, where he made his AFL debut late in 2001...
, Richard Hadley
Richard Hadley
Richard Hadley is an Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .Hadley was recruited from the East Fremantle Football Club junior system in the Western Australian Football League to the Brisbane Lions in the 2000 AFL Draft. He made his AFL debut in 2001...
, Anthony Corrie
Anthony Corrie
Anthony Corrie is an Australian rules footballer who has previously played for the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League , and is currently without a team....
and key ruckman Jamie Charman
Jamie Charman
Jamie Charman is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League.-Overview:He was recruited as the number 29 draft pick in the 2000 AFL Draft from Northern Eagles in Queensland...
. Coach Leigh Matthews was forced to debut an unprecedented number of youngsters and rookies and due to this, the club experienced inconsistent results. While many of the new youngsters displayed great promise, and continued to attack the ball and tackle opponents in typical Brisbane Lions spirit, it became evident during the final few matches that the young Lions were clearly into rebuilding mode. With AFL Rising Star nominations to Michael Rischitelli
Michael Rischitelli
Michael Rischitelli is an Australian rules footballer, a former Brisbane Lion player, currently contracted with the Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League.-Brisbane Lions :...
, Cheynee Stiller
Cheynee Stiller
Cheynee Stiller is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Stiller was recruited through the 2005 rookie draft and was elevated to the Lions senior list for round 3 of season 2006...
and Matthew Moody
Matthew Moody
Matthew Moody is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.He was recruited as the number 23 draft pick in the 2003 AFL Draft from South Fremantle in the West Australian Football League...
, and the emergence of rookie Jason Roe among others, the future looks promising, but the realists also know that the rebuilding phase will take a few years.
Despite the young team losing more home games than ever before, and reducing the Gabba's status as a fortress that intimidated opposition teams, the Lions still produced average crowds the equal of the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
Premiership team Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
.
Justin Leppitsch and Brad Scott announced their retirements during the season. A controversial and high-profile feud between the club and Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
divided supporters of the club and received massive publicity, resulting in Akermanis being stood down for the last seven matches of the season by his senior playing peer group, who felt that his loyalty to the club and playing group was compromised.
After the 2006 home and away season it was revealed that major sponsor AAPT
AAPT
AAPT is Australia's third largest land line telecommunications company and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom New Zealand. The company is a member of the Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group for the Critical Infrastructure Protection branch of the Attorney-General's...
would not be renewing their sponsorship. It was announced shortly after that Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
had signed a sponsorship deal with the club worth A$5.4 million over three years.
The Brisbane Lions team of the decade fullback Mal Michael
Mal Michael
Malcolm Roberto "Mal" Michael is a former Australian rules footballer. He is notable for his successful professional Australian Football League career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the...
announced his retirement from football on 5 October 2006 due to lack of motivation and desire to pursue other non-football related activities. While at the Lions he was one of the premier fullbacks in the AFL and was somewhat unlucky not to receive an All-Australian honour and was a pivotal figure at the Brisbane Lions, playing a significant role in each of the grand finals contested. In highly controversial circumstances, a contract loophole enabled Michael to sign with the Essendon Bombers and continue his career there.
The captain, Michael Voss
Michael Voss
Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
, also announced his retirement from football on 6 October 2006 due to the stress placed on his body from years of football and a chronic knee injury. He was the co-captain of the team from 1997 to 2000 with Alastair Lynch
Alastair Lynch
Alastair Graeme Lynch is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League . He is best known as a three time premiership full-forward for the Brisbane Lions....
before leading the side for the remainder of his career, including the historic three straight premierships. In his final season of football, Voss still played 21 out of a possible 22 games, missing one game through knee soreness which turned out to be the same knee which led to his retirement.
At the completion of the 2006 season Chris Johnson
Chris L. Johnson
Christopher Lloyd Johnson is a former professional Australian rules footballer.His career highlights as an Australian Football League player include three premierships with Brisbane, All-Australian selection, captain of the Australian International Rules team and inclusion in the Indigenous Team...
remained as the last ever representative of the Fitzroy Football Club to be playing senior AFL football.
The Brisbane Lions finished runner up in the 2007 NAB Cup
Australian Football League pre-season competition
The Australian Football League pre-season competition, which is known at present as the NAB Cup, is a competition held before the beginning of the Australian Football League premiership season...
and then went on to create history by being the first team in the history of the AFL to have five co-captains. They started the season with a convincing 25 point win over Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
, 9.15.(69) to 6.8.(44) and a massive win, after tributes to former captain, Michael Voss
Michael Voss
Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
, against the St Kilda Football Club, with a 52 point margin.
On 12 May 2007, the Lions marked Leigh Matthews' 200th game in charge of the team against the Crows
One week later, on 19 May 2007, against Mal Michael's new team, the Essendon Bombers, the Lions began confidently but eventually succumbed to their biggest loss in season 2007 by a margin of 64 points. The Lions lost to Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
by 33 points at the Gabba in Round 9 and drew with Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
at Docklands Stadium with the final scores 10.13 (73)apiece.
On 7 June 2007 Lions co-captain Simon Black
Simon Black
Simon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill...
and former Lions captain Michael Voss
Michael Voss
Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
were charged for an assault that allegedly took place on the eve of the 2006 AFL Grand Final. Against Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
' new side, the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
, in Round 11, the Lions yet again began confidently, kicking the first two goals of the game before being overrun. The Lions failed to score a goal in the second quarter but came back in the last to reduce the margin to 23 points, holding the Bulldogs goalless in the final term. Akermanis kicked two consecutive goals in the first quarter to take the margin out to 15 and 21 points respectively.
At a rainy Kardinia Park two weeks later, the Lions failed to score a goal in the first half and never looked like coming back, going down to their second biggest loss of the season so far. On 30 June 2007, Brisbane faced Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
and led by seven points at quarter time before being overrun in the second, the Power kicking seven goals to two to led by 19 points at half-time. At three-quarter time, the Lions were down by 28 points and 40 points a few minutes early into the final term before they fought back to level the scores at 105-all courtesy of a Jonathan Brown goal from a free kick. A minute later a 50-metre penalty
50-metre penalty
In the sport of Australian Rules Football, the 50-metre penalty is applied by umpires to a number of different infractions when a free kick or mark has already been paid.Some leagues and competitions use a 25-metre penalty...
gifted Port Adelaide's Brett Ebert a goal and managed to hold on for a seven point win.
On 22 July 2007 the Lions faced a struggling Carlton Blues
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
side who were on the back of a 62-point thrashing to Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
the previous week. Brisbane kicked 8.5–0.3 in the last quarter, the final margin being 117 points, Brisbane's biggest ever win over Carlton, bettering their 103-point loss to Carlton in Round 10, 1987. Also, gun forward Jonathan Brown became the first player in Brisbane Lions/Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
history to kick 10 goals in a match, beating Brad Hardie
Brad Hardie
Bradley John "Brad" Hardie is a former Australian rules footballer and current radio commentator. He began his career as an attacking back pocket player, but ended as a dangerous goal kicking forward pocket...
(1989
1989 VFL season
-Notable events:* In Round 13, horrendous conditions at Windy Hill saw Essendon and Footscray play the lowest scoring game since the 1927 Grand Final, with the teams combining for only 6.15 ....
) and Daniel Bradshaw
Daniel Bradshaw
Daniel Mark Bradshaw is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League....
(2005
2005 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:...
) who both kicked nine goals. This resulted in the sacking of the opposition coach
Denis Pagan
Denis Pagan is a former Australian rules football coach and player in the VFL/AFL. He is current coach of Northern Knights in TAC Cup.-Playing career:...
after a run of poor results.In Round 17, the Lions celebrated their return to the Melbourne Cricket Ground with a 93 point defeat of Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. Jared Brennan played one of the best games in his 54 game career, scoring seven goals and five behinds.
Rhan Hooper
Rhan Hooper
Rhan Hooper is a former Australian rules footballer who has played for the Brisbane Lions and the Hawthorn Hawks of the Australian Football League...
received a three match ban for striking Hawthorn's Rick Ladson
Rick Ladson
Rick Ladson is a professional Australian Rules Footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League. Ladson was selected at no. 16 in the 2001 AFL Draft from the Bendigo Pioneers and is a defender and outside midfielder....
, Joel Macdonald
Joel Macdonald
Joel Macdonald is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League , having previously played for the Brisbane Lions.-Football career:...
and Troy Selwood
Troy Selwood
Troy Selwood is a former Australian rules footballer who played 75 games for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League . He is the current co-captain of the Geelong Football Club's team in the Victorian Football League ....
missed the must-win clash against Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
. Brisbane started off well with Richard Hadley
Richard Hadley
Richard Hadley is an Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .Hadley was recruited from the East Fremantle Football Club junior system in the Western Australian Football League to the Brisbane Lions in the 2000 AFL Draft. He made his AFL debut in 2001...
booting the first goal of the game but poor kicking and too many turnovers saw them trail by 10 points at quarter-time before Jonathan Brown evened the scores at 24-all at half-time. The Lions failed to score a goal in the third time-scoring 0.3 to the Swans' 3.5. However, they jumped straight out of the blocks in the first 3 minutes, with Jonathan Brown putting the Lions in front with his second for the night. But with less than four minutes remaining, Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk is a former Australian rules football player of the Sydney Swans, and is known colloquially as "Kirky", "Captain Kirk", during the 2005 AFL Finals Series, "Captain Blood" and by teammates as "Hippy". Kirk is a hard working and onfield leader who has played in a premiership with the...
thought he'd won the game for Sydney only for Jonathan Brown to kick a 55-metre goal just before the full-time siren to secure a 9.9 (63) to 8.15 (63) draw.
The Lions failed to make the finals for a third successive year and lost Chris Johnson
Chris L. Johnson
Christopher Lloyd Johnson is a former professional Australian rules footballer.His career highlights as an Australian Football League player include three premierships with Brisbane, All-Australian selection, captain of the Australian International Rules team and inclusion in the Indigenous Team...
and Chris Scott
Chris M. Scott
Christopher Michael "Chris" Scott is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League best known as being a dual premiership player with the Brisbane Lions and is a current premiership AFL coach of the Geelong Football Club.-AFL career:Scott was picked by the Brisbane Bears...
to retirement. Youngster Cameron Wood
Cameron Wood
Cameron Wood is a professional Australian rules football player currently playing for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Brisbane Lions:...
was traded to Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in exchange for Pick 14, which the Lions gave to Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
for Travis Johnstone
Travis Johnstone
Travis Johnstone is an Australian rules footballer who has played for the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne in the Australian Football League...
. On the last day of the 2007 trade week, Richard Hadley
Richard Hadley
Richard Hadley is an Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .Hadley was recruited from the East Fremantle Football Club junior system in the Western Australian Football League to the Brisbane Lions in the 2000 AFL Draft. He made his AFL debut in 2001...
was traded to Carlton for pick #52.
The Lions began the 2008 NAB Cup
2008 NAB Cup
The 2008 NAB Cup was the Australian Football League pre-season competition played in its entirety before the Australian Football League's 2008 Premiership season began...
shakily, losing to Essendon by 27 points. The 2008 home and away campaign started with a game against the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
at Subiaco Oval
Subiaco Oval
Subiaco Oval , known colloquially as Subi, is the highest capacity sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia...
, in which the Lions lost by 16 points. In their second match at home at the Gabba, the Lions wrestled with an in form Collingwood and eventually triumphed by two points. Jed Adcock scored the winning goal for the Lions. After a 17-point loss to the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
the next week (Rivalry Round), the Lions managed a record breaking comeback against Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
after turning around a 47-point deficit half way through the third quarter, to come out winners by 20 points by the final siren. The Lions were then defeated by Hawthorn by 12 points followed by a sound victory over Melbourne by 52 points. They suffered another defeat to Geelong by 27 points followed by the Lions' first consecutive wins for the season with wins over Carlton by 33 points and Saint Kilda by 46 points. This was followed up by wins over North by 31 points and Fremantle by 22 points. The winning streak would eventually be snapped by a defeat from the Bulldogs by 63 points. The team struggled for the rest of the season and missed out on the finals with a 10–12 record, losing 3 games despite having at least 5 more scoring shots in each of those games. Coach Leigh Matthews resigned at the end of the season after 10 seasons and 3 premierships with the club.
Voss arrival: 2009–present
The Lions made a good start in the 2009 NAB Cup2009 NAB Cup
The 2009 NAB Cup is the Australian Football League pre-season competition that was played before the Australian Football League's 2009 Premiership season begins. It culminated with the Final on 13 March 2009 played between Geelong and Collingwood and was won by Geelong...
under new senior coach Micahel Voss by registering a 9 point win over St Kilda. However this was followed by a series of losses in the pre-season to Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
and Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
. The Lions then began the Premiership season well with wins against recent premiers the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
and hoodoo rivals, the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
. However, the Lions lost their strong form against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
with a loss of 19 points. The Lions went on to make the finals for the first time since 2004; in their elimination final against Carlton at the Gabba they trailed by as much as five goals midway through the final quarter but came back and won by seven points. Their season ended abruptly with a 51-point loss to the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
the following week at the MCG.
The 2009/2010 off-season was dominated by the arrival of Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola is a professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the Carlton and Brisbane Lions football clubs in the Australian Football League....
from Carlton, and the hype was focused on Fevola and Jonathan Brown in the sense that the Lions could capitalise on their strong 2009 season. Indeed, the Lions won their first four matches of the 2010 season to be top of the ladder after four rounds, but they would only win three more games after that to crash to a lowly finish by seasons end. One of those wins however, was against eventual premiers .
The Lions' 2010/2011 off-season was disrupted by the sacking of Fevola after just one season at the Lions, following repeated off-field indiscretions which included getting drunk in the Brisbane streets during New Years' Eve celebrations. On the field, the Lions won only four games for the year, but only one against any Victorian team, and that was , in Round 9. Despite their worst season since 1998, coach Michael Voss
Michael Voss
Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
was granted a contract extension after the board recommended that Voss was the best man to take the club forward into the future. Leading into season 2012, only two players from the triple-premiership winning team of 2001–2003 will remain: Simon Black
Simon Black
Simon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill...
and Jonathan Brown.
Membership base and sponsorship
Crowds and memberships for the Brisbane Lions grew dramatically during the four seasons in which they made the AFL Grand Final. Since then, with the team being less successful, attendances have declined, but have remained stable over the past three seasons. In 2009 the Lions found it so difficult to sell corporate boxes that they resorted to doing so on a game-by-game basis. 2011 saw the Brisbane Lions suffer their worst ever drop in support, as memberships decreased by 28%. Consequently, the Brisbane Lions have the second lowest membership in the AFL.| Year | Members | Change from previous season | Finishing position1 | Average home crowd (excluding finals) | Major Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 1997 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 1997.The Port Adelaide Power joined the competition.The Brisbane Lions also joined the competition after the merger of the and .... |
16,679 | — | 8th | 19,550 | Carlton & United Breweries Carlton & United Breweries Carlton & United Breweries is an Australian brewing company based in Abbotsford, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. In 1983 it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Elders IXL and CUB was delisted. In 1990, Elders IXL renamed to the Foster's Group, and in July 2004, CUB changed its name to Carlton and... |
| 1998 | 16,108 | 571 | 16th | 16,675 | Carlton & United Breweries |
| 1999 | 16,931 | 823 | Preliminary Finalist | 21,890 | AAPT AAPT AAPT is Australia's third largest land line telecommunications company and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom New Zealand. The company is a member of the Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group for the Critical Infrastructure Protection branch of the Attorney-General's... |
| 2000 | 20,295 | 3364 | Semi Finalist | 27,406 | AAPT |
| 2001 2001 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2001.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane Lions 17.9 to 3.8 in the Final.... |
18,330 | 1965 | Premiers | 27,638 | AAPT |
| 2002 2002 AFL season -Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 176... |
22,288 | 3958 | Premiers | 26,895 | AAPT |
| 2003 2003 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
25,578 | 3290 | Premiers | 31,717 | AAPT |
| 2004 2004 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St... |
30,941 | 5363 | Grand Finalist | 33,619 | AAPT |
| 2005 2005 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
30,027 | 914 | 11th | 33,267 | AAPT |
| 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... |
26,459 | 3568 | 13th | 28,630 | AAPT |
| 2007 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... |
23,072 | 3387 | 10th | 28,848 | Vodafone Vodafone Australia Vodafone Australia is a mobile telephone company, a subsidiary of Vodafone Hutchison Australia. Vodafone Australia was formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone Plc .... |
| 2008 2008 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:... |
23,079 | 7 | 10th | 28,128 | Vodafone |
| 2009 2009 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:... |
26,324 | 3245 | Semi Finalist | 29,172 | Vodafone |
| 2010 2010 AFL season -Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22... |
29,014 | 2,690 | 13th | 29,933 | Bank of Queensland Bank of Queensland Bank of Queensland , one of the oldest financial institutions in Queensland, Australia, is a retail bank with a network of almost 270 branches, including 152 in Queensland, 52 in New South Wales, 23 in Victoria and 34 in Western Australia. Following the Home Building Society and Pioneer mergers,... , Conergy Conergy Conergy AG is a company in the solar energy industry founded in 1998 by the former chairman of the board Hans-Martin Rüter. It had a turnover of 706 Million euros in 2007, and employs more than 2000 staff. It also has a company called Conergy Americas.... |
| 2011 2011 AFL season The 2011 Australian Football League season was the 115th season of the Australian rules football competition. It was the debut year for , and was scheduled to be the only season to be played with 17 teams... |
20,792 | 8,222 | 15th | 20,462 | Bank of Queensland, Conergy |
- following finals matches
Financial performance
In 2008 the Brisbane Lions recorded a loss of $2,200,200. CEO Michael Bowers was reported to be "buoyed" when 2009 membership exceeded its 2008 total by 8 April 2009. In 2009 the Brisbane Lions recorded a further loss of $603,207.Guernseys
The three types of guernsey are:- Home guernsey (worn since 20102010 AFL season-Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22...
): Maroon and blue based guernsey with a lion, coloured gold and maroon. Bank of QueenslandBank of QueenslandBank of Queensland , one of the oldest financial institutions in Queensland, Australia, is a retail bank with a network of almost 270 branches, including 152 in Queensland, 52 in New South Wales, 23 in Victoria and 34 in Western Australia. Following the Home Building Society and Pioneer mergers,...
sponsor on front and ConergyConergyConergy AG is a company in the solar energy industry founded in 1998 by the former chairman of the board Hans-Martin Rüter. It had a turnover of 706 Million euros in 2007, and employs more than 2000 staff. It also has a company called Conergy Americas....
sponsor on back (home pants worn in home games and away pants worn in away games not played in Victoria).
- Away guernsey (Worn since 20102010 AFL season-Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22...
): Red and blue based guernsey with a lion, coloured gold and red. ConergyConergyConergy AG is a company in the solar energy industry founded in 1998 by the former chairman of the board Hans-Martin Rüter. It had a turnover of 706 Million euros in 2007, and employs more than 2000 staff. It also has a company called Conergy Americas....
sponsor on front and Bank of QueenslandBank of QueenslandBank of Queensland , one of the oldest financial institutions in Queensland, Australia, is a retail bank with a network of almost 270 branches, including 152 in Queensland, 52 in New South Wales, 23 in Victoria and 34 in Western Australia. Following the Home Building Society and Pioneer mergers,...
sponsor on back (away pants worn).
- Clash guernsey (Worn since 20102010 AFL season-Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22...
): Maroon, white and blue based guernsey with a lion, coloured gold and maroon. ConergyConergyConergy AG is a company in the solar energy industry founded in 1998 by the former chairman of the board Hans-Martin Rüter. It had a turnover of 706 Million euros in 2007, and employs more than 2000 staff. It also has a company called Conergy Americas....
sponsor on front and Bank of QueenslandBank of QueenslandBank of Queensland , one of the oldest financial institutions in Queensland, Australia, is a retail bank with a network of almost 270 branches, including 152 in Queensland, 52 in New South Wales, 23 in Victoria and 34 in Western Australia. Following the Home Building Society and Pioneer mergers,...
sponsor on back (away pants worn).
Mascot
The Lion's Mascot Manor representative and club mascot is Bernie "Gabba" Vegas, a caricature of a lion dressed in Brisbane Lions jumper, sunglasses, wide lapels and flares, designed to resemble Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
.
Song
The music of the team song is the same as that of La MarseillaiseLa Marseillaise
"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song, originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" was written and composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic's anthem in 1795...
, the French national anthem.
We are the pride of Brisbane town
We wear maroon, blue and gold
We will always fight for victory
Like Fitzroy and Bears of old
All for one and one for all
We will answer to the call
Go Lions, Brisbane Lions
We’ll kick the winning score
You’ll hear our mighty roar!
Team
- AFL Grand FinalAFL Grand FinalThe AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
Appearances
- Premierships: 3 (20012001 AFL Grand FinalThe 2001 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, 20022002 AFL Grand FinalThe 2002 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 2002. It was the 106th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, 20032003 AFL Grand FinalThe 2003 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 2003...
) - Runners-Up: 1 (20042004 AFL Grand FinalThe 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
)
- Pre-Season Grand Final Appearances
- Runners-Up: 2 (20012001 Ansett Australia Cup-Knockout Chart:-See also:*List of Australian Football League night premiers*2001 AFL season***...
, 20072007 NAB Cup-Knock-Out Chart:- Final Placings :1. Carlton 2. Brisbane 3. Geelong 4. North Melbourne 5. Port Adelaide 6. Hawthorn 7. Fremantle 8. Western Bulldogs 9. Adelaide 10. Essendon 11. St. Kilda 12. Melbourne 13. Sydney 14. Richmond 15. West Coast...
)
- Wooden Spoons: 1 (1998)
Club facts
Premierships- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
Grand Finalists
- 2004
Coaches
- John NortheyJohn NortheyJohn "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
– 1997–1998 - Roger MerrettRoger MerrettRoger Merrett is a former Australian rules footballer who played in two Victorian Football League premiership sides with the Essendon Football Club in the mid-1980s before moving to the fledging Brisbane Bears, later captaining the new club for seven seasons...
– 1998 - Leigh MatthewsLeigh MatthewsLeigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
– 1999–2008 - Michael VossMichael VossMichael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
– 2009–present
Captains
- Michael VossMichael VossMichael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
(co-captain: 1997–2000; captain: 2000–2006) - Alastair LynchAlastair LynchAlastair Graeme Lynch is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League . He is best known as a three time premiership full-forward for the Brisbane Lions....
(co-captain: 1997–2000) - Chris Johnson (co-captain: 2007)
- Nigel LappinNigel LappinNigel Lappin is a former professional Australian rules footballer.Lappin was born in Corowa, New South Wales, but grew up in Chiltern, Victoria and was drafted to play for the Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League in 1993, playing his first AFL game the following year...
(co-captain: 2007–2008) - Simon BlackSimon BlackSimon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill...
(co-captain: 2007–2008) - Luke PowerLuke PowerLuke Power is an Australian rules footballer. He is currently contracted to play for Greater Western Sydney. He was a part of the Brisbane Lions's 2001, 2002, and 2003 premierships. He is known for his effective use of the ball disposals, rare mistakes and his deadly accurate left foot. Many AFL...
(co-captain: 2007–2008) - Jonathan Brown (co-captain: 2007–2008; captain: 2009–present)
Biggest home crowds
| Rank | Crowd | Round/Season | Result | Opponent | Brisbane Lions | Opposition | Margin | Venue | Day/Night/Twilight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37,224 | 15/2005 | Win | 19.19 (133) | 7.13 (55) | +78 | The Gabba Brisbane Cricket Ground The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located.... |
Night | |
| 2 | 37,032 | PF/2001 | Win | 20.16 (136) | 10.8 (68) | +68 | The Gabba | Night | |
| 3 | 36,803 | 4/2003 | Win | Collingwood | 14.11 (95) | 11.15 (81) | +14 | The Gabba | Night |
| 4 | 36,780 | 2/2010 | Win | Carlton | 16.11 (107) | 12.16 (88) | +19 | The Gabba | Night |
| 5 | 36,197 | 1/2003 | Win | 14.20 (104) | 8.13 (61) | +43 | The Gabba | Night | |
| 6 | 36,149 | 10/2001 | Win | Essendon | 15.12 (102) | 10.14 (74) | +28 | The Gabba | Night |
| 7 | 36,077 | 17/2005 | Win | Essendon | 17.12 (114) | 14.17 (101) | +13 | The Gabba | Night |
| 8 | 35,898 | 3/2002 | Win | Essendon | 17.15 (117) | 9.13 (67) | +50 | The Gabba | Night |
| 9 | 35,823 | 21/2004 | Win | 20.10 (130) | 13.7 (85) | +45 | The Gabba | Day | |
| 10 | 35,221 | 21/2005 | Loss | 7.9 (51) | 11.15 (81) | −30 | The Gabba | Night |
Current coaching staff
- Senior Coach: Michael VossMichael VossMichael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
- Assistant Coaches:
- Mark HarveyMark HarveyMark Harvey is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Essendon Football Club. He played 206 games from 1984 to 1997, kicking 190 goals, and was assistant coach at Essendon from 1998 to 2005...
- Jamie CharmanJamie CharmanJamie Charman is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League.-Overview:He was recruited as the number 29 draft pick in the 2000 AFL Draft from Northern Eagles in Queensland...
- Gary O'Donnell
- Shane WoewodinShane WoewodinShane Woewodin was an Australian rules football player who played 200 games with the Melbourne and Collingwood Football Clubs. He was the recipient of the Brownlow Medal in 2000.-Early career:...
- Adrian FletcherAdrian FletcherAdrian Fletcher is a former Australian rules footballer and current assistant coach. He is regarded as one of football's nomads, having played for five Australian Football League clubs in his 13 year career...
Notable past players
| Last No. worn | Name | Games with this club | Total Games | Goals | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Marcus Ashcroft Marcus Ashcroft Marcus Ashcroft is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who holds the records for the most games for the Brisbane Bears/Brisbane Lions. He is currently on the coaching panel of the Gold Coast Football Club.-Early life:Ashcroft was born on the Gold Coast to a family from Melbourne... |
166 | 318 | 145 | retired after the 2003 AFL season 2003 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... after the Brisbane Lions' 3rd successive premiership |
| 12 | Jason Akermanis Jason Akermanis Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs... |
210 | 248 | 307 | traded to Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne... for the 2007 AFL season 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... |
| 1 | Richard Champion Richard Champion Richard Champion was a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.... |
183 | 183 | 80 | retired after the 2000 season |
| 2 | Chris L. Johnson Chris L. Johnson Christopher Lloyd Johnson is a former professional Australian rules footballer.His career highlights as an Australian Football League player include three premierships with Brisbane, All-Australian selection, captain of the Australian International Rules team and inclusion in the Indigenous Team... |
205 | 264 | 171 | retired after the 2007 season 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... and has taken up a job as a development coach for the Brisbane Lions. |
| 27 | Clark Keating Clark Keating Clark Anthony Keating was an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.Known as "Crackers" , Keating was picked up by the Brisbane Bears as a local... |
125 | 139 | 83 | delisted after 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... after his career was shattered by injuries Injury -By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection... , he has since retired from Australian Football. He has now become the Lions' new ruck coach |
| 23 | Justin Leppitsch Justin Leppitsch Justin "Leppa" Leppitsch is a former Australian rules footballer who was a key defender for the Brisbane Lions.Leppitsch played with the Hawthorn Under 19s as a 16-year old in 1991, however did not make the Hawks' senior list... |
227 | 227 | 194 | forced to retire after a back-related injury in 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... |
| 11 | Alastair Lynch Alastair Lynch Alastair Graeme Lynch is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League . He is best known as a three time premiership full-forward for the Brisbane Lions.... |
154 | 306 | 633 | one of the club's leading goalscorers, retired after the 2004 Grand Final. |
| 15 | Mal Michael Mal Michael Malcolm Roberto "Mal" Michael is a former Australian rules footballer. He is notable for his successful professional Australian Football League career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the... |
140 | 201 | 28 | retired after the 2006 AFL season 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... , saying he had lost his passion to play football Australian rules football Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either... , only to come out of retirement to play for Essendon. |
| 13 | Martin Pike Martin Pike Martin Pike is a former Australian Football League player who played with four clubs during 13 seasons... |
106 | 247 | 126 | retired late in 2005 2005 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... after being placed on the long-term injury list with a groin complaint |
| 3 | Michael Voss Michael Voss Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer.... |
210 | 289 | 245 | called it quits after 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... because of a knee injury. He is now the head coach of the Lions |
| 44 | Nigel Lappin Nigel Lappin Nigel Lappin is a former professional Australian rules footballer.Lappin was born in Corowa, New South Wales, but grew up in Chiltern, Victoria and was drafted to play for the Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League in 1993, playing his first AFL game the following year... |
218 | 279 | 178 | Retired midway through 2008 due to an achilles injury. He is now and assistant coach with Geelong. |
| 36 | Daniel Bradshaw Daniel Bradshaw Daniel Mark Bradshaw is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.... |
219 | 222 | 498 | Walked out on the club after it tried to trade him; then rejected a one-year contract claiming it was not lucrative enough. |
See also
- Australian rules football in QueenslandAustralian rules football in QueenslandAustralian rules football in Queensland has a history which dates back to the 1860s. By the 1880s it was the most prominent football code in the state, but was overtaken by rugby league by 1908...
- Merrett-Murray MedalMerrett-Murray MedalThe Merrett–Murray Medal has been awarded annually since 1997, to the player adjudged the Brisbane Lions Club Champion over the immediately preceding AFL season...
- Sport in AustraliaSport in AustraliaAustralia has a long sporting history dating back to the mid 1800s. By the 1920s, a number of sports were being played by both men and women, including cricket, badminton, judo, swimming, tennis, netball, lacrosse, golf, hockey and various codes of football....
- Sport in QueenslandSport in QueenslandSport is an important part of the culture of the Australian state of Queensland. Golf is the most played organised sport and touch football the most played team sport. Netball is the most popular female sport, while rugby league is by far the most viewed and spectated sport.-Australian rules...
- Wikipedia listing of Brisbane Lions players
External links
- Official website of the Brisbane Lions Football Club
- The Brisbane Lions – an Overview – Official AFL website of the Brisbane Lions Football Club
| Brisbane Lions AFL Premiership Teams |
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