71-619: Annual award in Australian football The Merrett–Murray Medal has been awarded annually since 1997, to the player adjudged the Brisbane Lions club champion over the immediately preceding Australian Football League (AFL) season. It is named after Roger Merrett and Kevin Murray . Merrett was a champion at the Brisbane Bears , while Murray was a legend at
142-456: A 10–12 record, losing 3 games despite having at least 5 more scoring shots in each of those games. Following the season, Coach Leigh Matthews resigned after 10 seasons and 3 premierships with the club. The Lions appointed former player and Captain Michael Voss as the coach ahead of 2009. After only winning 2 games from the first 5 played in 2009, the club won 9 of the next 12 to sit in 6th on
213-654: A Round 20 Gabba match where the Lions led Fremantle by 113 points at half-time after having kicked 21 goals. Their half-time score of 21.5 (131) still remains the highest half-time score in VFL/AFL history. Brisbane won their first finals as a merged entity against Carlton and the Western Bulldogs before losing to the eventual premiers, the Kangaroos , in a 1999 preliminary final. The Lions played finals again in 2000 but bowed out in
284-483: A belief in the club that Fevola could help them capitalise and improve upon 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 only won three more games after that, to finish 13th by the end of the season. 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
355-546: A career high 51 hitouts and 22 disposals against Port Adelaide . Martin's performance dropped in rounds 9 to 12 as West was selected for Brisbane; however, once West was dropped back to the NEAFL, Martin improved his numbers as the sole ruck. Missing rounds 19 and 20 due to soreness, he ended the season having played 20 games and averaged 16 disposals and 27 hitouts a game. He claimed the Alastair Lynch Trophy for 3rd place in
426-519: A cloud, Fitzroy began to consider options for survival. The Brisbane Bears were born in 1987 and initially played home matches at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast . In its early days, the club was uncompetitive on the field and struggled to shake the derisive tags which included "The Carrara Koalas" (in reference to the Gold Coast home and the somewhat tame marsupial) and "The Bad News Bears". After
497-1156: A day" . ABC Online . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 28 September 2006 . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ "Hall of Fame inductee–Chris Scott" . LionsFC.com.au . Bigpond . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ Gullan, Scott (5 June 2015). "AFL Hall of Fame 2015: Jason Akermanis a brilliant matchwinner who stood out" . Herald Sun . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ Rugari, Vince (29 August 2016). "No room for error as Lions seek new coach" . Seven.com.au . Yahoo7 . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ Davis, Greg (12 September 2015). "Brisbane Lions best and fairest count finishes in dramatic four-way tie" . The Courier-Mail . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ Horan, Michael (9 June 2011). "Michael Voss inducted into AFL Hall of Fame" . Herald Sun . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ Lord, Sam (10 July 2013). "Black named Multicultural Champion" . AFLQ.com.au . Fox Sports Pulse . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ Shiell, Alan (5 October 2003). "Voss
568-467: A forward/ruck rotating with the first choice ruckman Matthew Leuenberger and first round draft pick Billy Longer . Martin's first season at Brisbane started well, with him playing a key role in the team's NAB Cup premiership side. He kicked goals in each of his first three AFL games with the Lions, before injuring his ankle early in the Round 4 clash against North Melbourne . Three weeks later he came back in
639-532: A foundation team in the AFL Women's competition in 2017, and have featured in five grand finals in that time, winning the premiership in 2021 and again in 2023 also finishing runners-up on the other occasions. They also field a reserves men's team in the Victorian Football League , and operate an under-18s academy which contests Division 2 of the men's and women's underage national championships and
710-532: A game clear inside the top eight and had one of the strongest percentages in the league. However, they lost their final three games and miss the finals, with their season culminating in a record-breaking 139-point loss to St Kilda at the Telstra Dome . It remains the club's heaviest defeat, in addition to being the largest victory in the over-100-year history of St Kilda. Some believed that the St Kilda game, rather than
781-537: A pivotal role in them taking full control of the game in the second half. The Lions won their first premiership comfortably, with a final score of 15.18 (108) to 12.10 (82). The win was topped off with Lions utility player Shaun Hart winning the Norm Smith Medal after being judged best on ground in the Grand Final . In 2002, the Lions won a club-record 17 games, spending most of the season firmly entrenched in
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#1733084518368852-576: A qualifying final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground three 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
923-475: A revival in the '80s, when the Lions made the finals four times under the coaching of Robert Walls and David Parkin , and the playing group of 1981 Brownlow Medallist Bernie Quinlan , Ron Alexander , Garry Wilson , Gary Pert and Paul Roos , the club's financial situation was perilous. The VFL's plans to move or merge struggling Fitzroy to Brisbane pre-dated the Brisbane Bears, and negotiations between
994-553: A ruckman to average 22 disposals a game, which was the most of any ruckman. His breakout year was rewarded with a new contract too see him out until the end of 2016. Martin continued on his great form from 2014 into 2015, when he was joint winner of the Merrett–Murray Medal as Brisbane's best and fairest, alongside Dayne Beams , Mitch Robinson and Dayne Zorko . He averaged 32 hit outs and 21 disposals from 20 games in 2015 (missing two games due to suspension). He finished off
1065-3416: A sensational 2014 season" . The Courier Mail . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Newman, Beth (12 September 2015). "Brisbane Lions' quartet shares Merrett-Murray Medal" . Brisbane Times . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Whiting, Michael (3 September 2016). "Zorko goes back to back in Lions' year of pain" . AFL.com.au . Bigpond . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ Whiting, Michael (1 September 2017). "Lion caps off big week with third straight B&F" . AFL.com.au . Bigpond . Retrieved 1 September 2017 . ^ Whiting, Michael (1 September 2018). "Dayne pips Dayne for fourth straight Lion crown" . AFL.com.au . Bigpond . Retrieved 1 September 2018 . ^ "Merrett-Murray Medal 2019" . lions.com.au . 5 October 2019 . Retrieved 5 October 2019 . ^ "Dayne Zorko takes home his Fifth Merrett-Murray Medal" . lions.com.au . Retrieved 13 September 2020 . v t e Brisbane Lions Drafting and trading history Players AFL current squad AFL Women's current squad Captains Coaches Individual awards and records Merrett–Murray Medal AFL Women's best and fairest Leading goalkickers AFL coach: Chris Fagan AFL co-captains: Harris Andrews / Lachie Neale AFL Women's coach: Craig Starcevich AFL Women's captain: Breanna Koenen Home grounds AFL (1) The Gabba (1997–) AFLW (6) South Pine Sports Complex (2017–2018) Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex (2019) Hickey Park (2020–2021) Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex (2022 (S6)) Carrara Stadium (2022 (S7)) Springfield Central Stadium (2023–) Premierships AFL (4) 2001 2002 2003 2024 AFLW (2) 2021 2023 Runners-up AFL (2) 2004 2023 AFLW (4) 2017 2018 2022 (S7) 2024 Seasons (26) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Related articles Brisbane Bears Fitzroy Football Club Marcus Ashcroft Medal Miracle on Grass QClash San Diego Lions v t e Merrett–Murray Medal · Brisbane Lions best and fairest winners 1997: Clarke 1998: Scott 1999: Akermanis / Leppitsch 2000: Voss 2001: Black / Voss 2002: Black 2003: Voss 2004: Lappin 2005: Akermanis 2006: Black 2007: Brown 2008: Brown 2009: Brown 2010: Rischitelli 2011: Rockliff 2012: Patfull 2013: Patfull 2014: Rockliff 2015: Beams / Martin / Robinson / Zorko 2016: Zorko 2017: Zorko 2018: Zorko 2019: Neale 2020: Neale 2021: Zorko 2022: Neale 2023: Andrews 2024: Neale v t e Best and fairest awards in
1136-416: A talented playing list, the disruption of the merger and injuries to key players Michael Voss and Brad Boyd took their toll. The Lions finished last at the end of the 1998 season . Accordingly, Northey was sacked as coach 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
1207-532: Is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Western Bulldogs , Brisbane Lions , and Melbourne in the Australian Football League (AFL). Martin grew up in Berwick , the second child of optometrists Peter and Rosemary Martin. Alongside his older brother Tim and younger sister Karina he grew up playing basketball. He played junior basketball at an elite level, starting out with
1278-556: Is different from Wikidata Use dmy dates from January 2018 Use Australian English from January 2018 All Misplaced Pages articles written in Australian English Articles with hCards Brisbane Lions From the incorporated AFL operations of: Fitzroy Football Club (formed 1883) The Brisbane Lions are a professional Australian rules football club based in Brisbane , Queensland, that compete in
1349-1415: The Australian Football League Current awards Brownlow Medal ( league-wide ) Malcolm Blight Medal ( Adelaide ) Merrett–Murray Medal ( Brisbane Lions ) John Nicholls Medal ( Carlton ) Copeland Trophy ( Collingwood ) Crichton Medal ( Essendon ) Doig Medal ( Fremantle ) Carji Greeves Medal ( Geelong ) Gold Coast Suns Club Champion ( Gold Coast ) Kevin Sheedy Medal ( Greater Western Sydney ) Peter Crimmins Medal ( Hawthorn ) Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy ( Melbourne ) Syd Barker Medal ( North Melbourne ) John Cahill Medal ( Port Adelaide ) Jack Dyer Medal ( Richmond ) Trevor Barker Award ( St Kilda ) Bob Skilton Medal ( Sydney ) John Worsfold Medal ( West Coast ) Charles Sutton Medal ( Western Bulldogs ) Former awards Brisbane Bears Club Champion ( Brisbane Bears ) Mitchell Medal ( Fitzroy ) Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merrett–Murray_Medal&oldid=1249144196 " Categories : Australian Football League awards Brisbane Lions Awards established in 1997 Australian rules football-related lists Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
1420-572: The Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. Brisbane are the reigning AFL premiers , having won the 2024 Grand Final by sixty points. The Lions came into existence in 1996 when the AFL expansion club the Brisbane Bears , established in 1987, absorbed the AFL operations of one of the league's foundation clubs, Fitzroy , established in Melbourne , Victoria in 1883. Its colours of maroon, blue, and gold were drawn from both Fitzroy and
1491-3505: The Fitzroy Lions , the two clubs which merged to form the Brisbane Lions. The voting system, as of the 2017 AFL season , consists of the senior coach and assistant coaches scoring players based on their overall performance, influence on the game, team contribution and compliance with team values. The most votes a player can receive in a single game is twelve. Recipients [ edit ] ^ Denotes current player + Player won Brownlow Medal in same season Season Recipient(s) Ref. 1997 Matthew Clarke 1998 Chris Scott 1999 Jason Akermanis Justin Leppitsch 2000 Michael Voss 2001 Simon Black Michael Voss (2) 2002 Simon Black + (2) 2003 Michael Voss (3) 2004 Nigel Lappin 2005 Jason Akermanis (2) 2006 Simon Black (3) 2007 Jonathan Brown 2008 Jonathan Brown (2) 2009 Jonathan Brown (3) 2010 Michael Rischitelli 2011 Tom Rockliff 2012 Joel Patfull 2013 Joel Patfull (2) 2014 Tom Rockliff (2) 2015 Dayne Beams Stefan Martin Mitch Robinson Dayne Zorko ^ 2016 Dayne Zorko ^ (2) 2017 Dayne Zorko ^ (3) 2018 Dayne Zorko ^ (4) 2019 Lachie Neale ^ 2020 Lachie Neale ^ (2) 2021 Dayne Zorko ^ (5) 2022 Lachie Neale ^ (3) 2023 Harris Andrews ^ 2024 Lachie Neale ^ (4) Multiple winners [ edit ] ^ Denotes current player Player Medals Seasons Dayne Zorko ^ 5 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 Lachie Neale ^ 4 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024 Simon Black 3 2001, 2002, 2006 Jonathan Brown 3 2007, 2008, 2009 Michael Voss 3 2000, 2001, 2003 Jason Akermanis 2 1999, 2005 Joel Patfull 2 2012, 2013 Tom Rockliff 2 2011, 2014 See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Sports portal [REDACTED] Australia portal Mitchell Medal – for list of Fitzroy best and fairest winners from 1884–1996 Brisbane Bears Club Champion – for list of Brisbane Bears best and fairest winners from 1987–1996 References [ edit ] Generic "Brisbane Lions Club Champions" . LionsFC.com.au . Bigpond . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . Specific ^ "New Merrett-Murray Medal" . LionsFC.com.au . Bigpond . 18 September 2010 . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ "AFL Best and Fairest winners 2017: Who won your team's club champion award?" . Fox Sports Australia . News Corp Australia. 3 September 2017 . Retrieved 3 September 2017 . ^ "Crows ruckman calls it
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#17330845183681562-567: The MCG as a 22-year-old. He put in a solid performance and Melbourne managed its second win of the season. Despite playing most of his time at VFL level as a ruckman Martin was used as a defender for Melbourne showcasing his great leap, versatility, speed and agility for his height. He went on to play the next 8 games for Melbourne averaging 13 disposals and 4 marks a game. He competed in the 2008 AFL Grand Final Sprint, narrowly placing second to Richmond speedster Matthew White who won off scratch. Martin
1633-521: The Miracle on Grass . On 13 August 2013, coach Michael Voss was told his contract would not be renewed. On 18 October 2013, Brisbane Lions Hall of Famer Simon Black announced his retirement. On 25 August 2013, a former premiership player for the Lions, Justin Leppitsch , was confirmed as the senior coach of the Lions for the next three seasons. During Round 13, 2014 Lions captain Jonathan Brown
1704-493: The NEAFL but reinjured his ankle. It was not until round 19 that Martin would play in the NEAFL after his ankle injury. He impressed for the Lions reserves and was back in the AFL side for round 20. He only gathered six disposals and 10 hitouts against Richmond in a loss; however, he suffered a hamstring strain that would effectively end his campaign. Martin only managed five senior games in 2013. After an injury plagued season in 2013,
1775-515: The Talent League . The Melbourne-based Fitzroy Football Club was formed on 26 September 1883 at the Brunswick Hotel. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) made changes to their rules, allowing Fitzroy to join as the seventh club in 1884, playing in the maroon and blue colours of the local Normanby Junior Football Club. They quickly became one of the most successful clubs, consistently in
1846-444: The 2004 Grand Final, had signaled the end of Brisbane's triple premiership dynasty. The Lions began the 2006 season optimistically, but injuries plagued the club as they again missed the finals, with Brisbane's players recording an AFL record total of 200 matches lost to injury for the season. The Brisbane Lions' 2007 season started with them finishing runners-up to Carlton in the 2007 NAB Cup Grand Final. The Lions failed to make
1917-488: The 2017 wooden spoon , despite winning 5 games for the season, 2 more than the previous season. Their percentage of 74.3 was the worst in the league, behind Fremantle with a percentage of 74.4. The 2018 season was very similar, recording 5 wins to finish in 15th place, but multiple close losses showed signs of a young team about to breakout into finals contention. Stefan Martin Stefan Martin (born 17 November 1986)
1988-530: The Bears' last match was a preliminary final on Saturday 21 September 1996 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against North Melbourne. The Brisbane Lions were officially launched on 1 November 1996, joining the national competition in 1997 . In 1997, the Lions narrowly made the finals, finishing eighth. They ended up with the same win–loss record as fellow 1997 newcomers Port Adelaide , who missed out due to having an inferior percentage. Their first two games were against
2059-573: The Bears. The club plays its home matches at the Gabba in Brisbane, and its headquarters and training facilities are located at Springfield Central Stadium . The Lions are one of the most successful AFL clubs of the 2000s, appearing in four consecutive grand finals from 2001 to 2004 , a period in which they won three premierships ( 2001 , 2002 , 2003 ). They also finished runners-up in 2023 , and won their fourth premiership in 2024 . The Lions were
2130-476: The Brisbane streets during New Year's Eve celebrations. On the field, the Lions won only four games for the year and finished 15th overall. The 2011 season saw the debut of another Queensland-based team, the Gold Coast Suns . The Suns, who were coming off a 139-point loss to Essendon the previous week, upset the Lions by 8 points in their first encounter. Despite their worst season since 1998, coach Michael Voss
2201-443: The Gabba in Brisbane in 1991, moving all home matches to the venue ahead of the 1993 season. As part of the club's move to the Gabba, Pelerman agreed to release the Bears from private ownership and revert to a traditional club structure in which the club's members were able to elect the board. Membership and attendances instantly tripled now that the club was finally playing in their home city of Brisbane. The Bears only qualified for
Merrett–Murray Medal - Misplaced Pages Continue
2272-487: The Magpies 9.12 (66) to 10.15 (75) 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 to injury and had to complete the match with a limited bench. In 2003, the Lions became the first team in the national era to win three consecutive premierships. With a number of players under an injury cloud—and having lost to Collingwood in
2343-551: The Maroons, and one (1944) as the Gorillas. The club also boasted 6 Brownlow Medal winners who were Haydn Bunton Sr. , Wilfred Smallhorn , Dinny Ryan , Allan Ruthven , Kevin Murray , and Bernie Quinlan . The club changed its nickname to the Lions in 1957, but when Fitzroy was evicted from its home ground of Brunswick St Oval in 1965, this began a sustained period of poor on-field performance and financial losses. Fitzroy entered one of
2414-1936: The best Lion" . The Age . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Murnane, Matt (23 October 2016). "AFL draft 2015: Who is the best No.2 pick of all time?" . The Age . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 3 September 2016 . ^ "Aker named Lions' best" . ABC Online . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 2 October 2005 . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ "Black named Lions top player" . ABC Online . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 7 October 2006 . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ "Brown collects further honours" . ABC Online . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 7 October 2006 . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ White, Simon (5 October 2008). "Modest Lappin given fitting farewell" . LionsFC.com.au . Bigpond . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Australian Associated Press (2 October 2009). "Jonathan Brown wins Merrett-Murray Medal as Brisbane Lions best" . The Advertiser . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Davis, Greg (9 September 2010). "Gold Coast-bound Michael Rischitelli wins Merrett-Murray Medal at Brisbane Lions' club champion dinner" . The Courier Mail . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Australian Associated Press (10 September 2011). "Rockliff wins Lions' best and fairest" . ABC Online . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ "Consistency steers defender Joel Patfull towards best-and-fairest award with Brisbane Lions" . News.com.au . News Corp Australia . 8 September 2013 . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Whiting, Michael (6 September 2013). "Joel Patfull wins second best and fairest at Lions" . AFL.com.au . Bigpond . Retrieved 7 August 2016 . ^ Davis, Greg (5 September 2014). "Tom Rockliff wins his second Merrett-Murray Medal after
2485-701: The board, and the Lions kept an office in Melbourne. None of the Fitzroy representatives, former Fitzroy champion Laurie Serafini , David Lucas and Ken Levy, chosen to serve on Brisbane's board, were Fitzroy directors at that time. Eight Fitzroy players were allowed to be recruited to the Brisbane Lions outside of the normal draft or trade system. They were Brad Boyd , Chris Johnson , Jarrod Molloy , John Barker , Nick Carter , Simon Hawking , Scott Bamford and Shane Clayton . Fitzroy played its last VFL/AFL game on 1 September 1996 against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval , and
2556-476: 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; the record was equalled by Melbourne 's Christian Petracca 18 years later in the 2021 Grand Final . During their premiership years,
2627-430: The club began its 2013 season with back-to-back losses to the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide . Injuries took a toll on the team, with young players Claye Beams and Jared Polec suffering severe injuries. In Round 13, Brisbane defeated second-placed Geelong , coming from 52 points down late in the third quarter to win by 5 points due to an Ash McGrath goal after the siren in his 200th match, in what became known as
2698-533: The club took the premiership cups to Brunswick Street Oval , Fitzroy, the home of the Fitzroy Football Club , each morning after the grand final. Honouring Fitzroy's history at their traditional home ground was seen as an important way of connecting with the Melbourne-based Fitzroy supporters who'd chosen to support the Brisbane Lions. The 2004 season saw Brisbane remain in the top portion of
2769-457: The club's existence was still at threat due to severe financial problems, and since 1990 the Bears had been actively exploring merger options with Fitzroy. Fitzroy's directors had agreed in principle to merge with the eventual 1996 premiers, North Melbourne , as the "North-Fitzroy Kangaroos". However, that proposal was rejected 15–1 by the club presidents, reportedly out of concern that an all-Victorian merge would be too powerful. Instead, Fitzroy
2840-499: The collapse of the business empire belonging to Bears deputy chairman Christopher Skase and the resignation of chairman Paul Cronin , the club was taken over by the AFL and re-sold to Gold Coast hospitality businessman Reuben Pelerman. Off-field, Pelerman was losing millions of dollars annually on the club and at one point in 1991 told Bears coach Robert Walls that he was closing it down. The Bears finished last in 1990 and 1991. To survive, The Bears experimented with playing matches at
2911-421: The end of the club's season, Leppitsch was sacked as coach of the Lions after multiple disappointing seasons, despite being granted a one-year contract extension at the start of the year which would have seen him remain at the club until the end of the 2017 season. On 4 October 2016, Hawthorn football manager Chris Fagan was announced as Brisbane's senior coach from the 2017 season onwards. The Lions claimed
Merrett–Murray Medal - Misplaced Pages Continue
2982-485: The eventual grand finalists of that year, Adelaide and St Kilda . They went down to Adelaide by 36 points before recording an emphatic 97-point thrashing of St Kilda in round 2. The Lions met St Kilda again in a cut-throat away qualifying final, going down by 46 points after leading the Saints at half-time. The Brisbane Lions in 1997 remain the only team in VFL/AFL history to have made the finals in their first season. Despite
3053-534: The final of the Ansett Australia Cup , their first pre-season grand final. They went down by 85 points away to Port Adelaide, who they had also been scheduled to play in Round 1 at the same venue. After an inconsistent start to their 2001 season, the Lions took on the reigning premiers Essendon in Round 10. Brisbane finished as 28-point victors, and head coach Leigh Matthews famously used a Predator quote, "if it bleeds, we can kill it", to inspire his team for
3124-504: The finals for a third successive year, again showing promising glimpses at stages, with a shock away win against reigning premiers the West Coast Eagles , and a 93-point hiding of finalists Collingwood at the MCG. They made history in 2007 by becoming the first club in the history of the AFL to have five co-captains. The team struggled during the 2008 season and missed out on the finals with
3195-443: The finals series in 1995 and 1996, and the closest the club came to a Grand Final was a preliminary final in 1996. On extremely shaky financial ground, the Bears struggled to generate many revenue opportunities in their short and turbulent ten-year existence. Despite improving its on-field fortunes, and drafting exciting young players on such as Michael Voss , Justin Leppitsch , Jason Akermanis , Darryl White , and Nigel Lappin ,
3266-467: The game in the second term. The Lions' poor kicking for goal almost put them out of the game in the second quarter as Essendon blew their lead out to 20 points late in the term. However, The Lions managed to overrun Essendon in the third term, kicking six goals to one and turning a 14-point deficit into a 16-point lead. Brisbane's pace in the midfield and the tiring legs of most of the Essendon players played
3337-452: The game. The Lions then won 16 games straight, finishing the year undefeated and booking their place in the 2001 AFL Grand Final to play Essendon . Going in as underdogs, Brisbane started the game well, scoring the first goal of the match from a free kick awarded to Alastair Lynch for holding against Dustin Fletcher . Essendon fought back late in the first quarter and then took control of
3408-480: The ladder for most of the season. Reaching the finals in second position, Brisbane controversially had to travel to Melbourne to play against Geelong in the preliminary final due to a contract between the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and the Australian Football League (AFL) that required one preliminary final to be played each year at the MCG. Port Adelaide had finished on top of the ladder and hosted
3479-420: The ladder, where they finished the season. They also recorded a strong victory over eventual premiers Geelong during this timeframe by 43 points. The club beat Carlton in their Elimination Final, coming from 30 points behind in the final quarter to win by 7 points, before losing to the Western Bulldogs in a Semi Final. The 2009/2010 off-season was dominated by the arrival of Brendan Fevola from Carlton, with
3550-460: The league and the club began in 1986 with the playing group voting for a move to Brisbane. However, Fitzroy resisted the move despite significant incentives and in response, the VFL made the decision to cut any further financial assistance to the club. By the start of the 1996 season, they were almost at the end of their financial tether. With no home ground, back to back wooden spoons, and their future under
3621-510: The least successful periods any VFL/AFL club has had. The club finished in the bottom three 11 times in the 1960s and 1970s, including three wooden spoons in four years between 1963 and 1966. The club won only a single game between 1963 and 1964 – known as the Miracle Match when it defeated eventual premiers Geelong in Round 10, 1963 – but its 1964 season was winless, and as of 2023 stands as the only winless season by any club since 1950. Despite
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#17330845183683692-462: The other preliminary final in Adelaide. Former player Jason Akermanis has since claimed that coach Leigh Matthews was furious over the preliminary final location decision. Despite this setback, Brisbane beat Geelong and reached the grand final for the fourth consecutive year. Their opponents, Port Adelaide, playing in their first grand final, were too good on the day and recorded a 40-point win in what
3763-470: The return of Jamar but injury and an inability to break into the side hurt Martin's 2012 campaign, and he played just seven matches for the season. After playing in round 1 and 3 he wasn't seen in the team again until round 14, but then played five in a row before a hip injury ended his year. On 26 October 2012, Martin was traded to the Brisbane Lions in exchange for Picks 52 ( Matt Jones ) & 71 ( Daniel Nicholson ). The Lions had planned Martin to play as
3834-507: The second week after losing an away game to Carlton by 82 points. In this period the club drafted and recruited key players who went on to be pillars of the Lions triple premiership years. Victorian Luke Power , Fitzroy father–son selection Jonathan Brown , and exciting WA product Simon Black came via the draft, and Brad Scott , Mal Michael , and ex-Fitzroy B&F winner Martin Pike were recruited from Hawthorn, Collingwood, and North Melbourne respectively. The Lions began 2001 by making
3905-421: The start of 2014 looked to be another year of frustration for Martin as he continued through his second pre-season with the Lions with a combination of hamstring and back injuries, keeping him on the sidelines until round 9 of the AFL season. He played two NEAFL games and was back in the AFL team for round 12. With the trade of Longer to St Kilda, injury to Leuenberger and season-ending injury to Trent West , Martin
3976-644: The strong Dandenong Rangers program and progressing to the Nunawading Spectres senior team in the ABA. Along with his academic merit, his basketball abilities earned him a scholarship at Haileybury College and in 2003, the same year Martin made the Australian under-20s representative side. He played a test series for Australia in New Zealand as a raw 17-year-old shooting guard. Martin would graduate from Haileybury College with an entrance score of 99.75 in 2004 to finish in
4047-577: The time, Sandringham, so they could watch his development. Martin started 2007 in Sandringham’s reserves, but was playing for the seniors as a ruckman soon after. He impressed enough to be selected in the VFL Under 23 South side. Later that year, much to his surprise, he was Melbourne's No. 3 pick in the 2008 pre-season draft . He made his debut in Round 14 for Melbourne's match against the Brisbane Lions at
4118-413: The top 40 Victorian students. He would go on in 2006 to study a science/law double degree. In 2006, while still playing basketball, Martin decided to give in to his mates and join them at amateurs football club, Old Haileybury. He was 19 and had never played a football game before. He shocked everyone when he arrived up to his first game with a slurpee and doughnut. Martin ended his first season by winning
4189-750: The top four, and drawing large crowds to their home at the Brunswick Street Oval in Edinburgh Gardens. This success was capped off by Fitzroy winning the VFA premiership in 1895. Fitzroy then went on to be one of the eight break-away clubs who formed the Victorian Football League in 1897. They continued their VFA form and be a powerhouse in the early days of the new VFL, winning a total of eight premierships, of which seven (1898, 1899, 1904, 1905, 1913, 1916 and 1922) were won while they were nicknamed
4260-468: The top two with Port Adelaide. They narrowly missed out on the minor premiership following a final round defeat to the Power in Adelaide. In the finals, the Lions claimed easy home victories over the two Adelaide-based teams on their way to a second consecutive Grand Final. They faced Collingwood, who had surprised many that year after having missed the finals the previous seven seasons. Brisbane ended up defeating
4331-515: The under 19 best and fairest after polling 23 of a possible 24 votes, he had been given best on ground in eight of the nine games he played. Martin had an article written about him in the Herald Sun and some AFL clubs were interested in him, most notably Melbourne Football Club who invited him to train and although he was overlooked in the 2007, Martin was asked to play at the Demons' VFL affiliate side at
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#17330845183684402-542: The year with a huge performance in round 23 against the Western Bulldogs with 50 hitouts and 32 disposals in a win, gaining two Brownlow votes. After two outstanding seasons, Martin dropped his performance in 2016 due to a number of injuries and setbacks including a head knock from Steven May that made global headlines in Round 4 against the Gold Coast Suns . Martin surprised with a return the very next week but it wasn't until round 7 that he looked like his old self with
4473-409: Was a breakout year for Martin, as he played the number one ruck role in the absence of the injured Mark Jamar . He played 21 games, mostly in the ruck, he also proved dangerous when moved forward, kicked 10 goals for the season. He averaged 17 disposals, 14 hitouts and 2 tackles per game and ended up finishing 8th in Melbourne's club best and fairest. Martin was expected to spend more time forward with
4544-599: Was being thrown around in All-Australian discussions, with his stats more than matching up against the best in the competition. He was ultimately overlooked in the All-Australian squad due to only playing 12 games, but earned the first Brownlow Medal votes of his career, finishing on three votes in total. He finished 11th overall in the Merrett–Murray Medal , but ranked second behind eventual winner Tom Rockliff in votes per game with 85 votes from his 12 games, an average of seven per game. Martin used his mobility and agility as
4615-560: 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 remained: Simon Black and Jonathan Brown . The 2013 season started well for Brisbane, defeating Carlton in the final of the NAB Cup , with Daniel Rich winning the Michael Tuck Medal for best on ground. However,
4686-482: Was placed into administration, and its administrator accepted an offer to merge its AFL operations with Brisbane. The club became the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club (trading as Brisbane Lions), remained at the Gabba , and were coached by Bears coach John Northey . However, the club's identity, logo, song, and guernsey were based on those of Fitzroy, three Fitzroy representatives served on
4757-510: Was selected as Brisbane's first ruck against the Bulldogs. He gathered 17 disposals, 32 hitouts and six clearances against Will Minson , who was the All-Australian ruckman the previous year. Martin would then relish the responsibility as first ruck and went on to be one of the Lions' best performers in the second half of the season, producing career-best numbers almost every game. Martin's name
4828-477: Was the first-ever all-non-Victorian grand final . The grand final is partly remembered for a wild punch-up between Port Adelaide's Darryl Wakelin and Alastair Lynch, who was playing in his last ever game and therefore immune from suspension. The Lions endured a slow start to the 2005 season before having a form reversal towards the end of the year, which included ten-goal thrashings of top-four contenders Geelong and Melbourne. Going into Round 20, they were half
4899-486: Was the victim of a facial injury in a clash between the Lions and the Greater Western Sydney Giants. He collided with Tomas Bugg's knee and was taken off the ground. He suffered a concussion and subsequently retired from football. His retirement, alongside the retirement of Ash McGrath , meant there were no players from the triple-premiership era remaining at the club. On 29 August 2016, just one day after
4970-481: Was used as utility in 2009, beginning the season in the backline before being trialled in the ruck and up forward. He kicked six goals for the year from 19 games. Persistent hip injuries cruelled his 2010 campaign and Martin only managed two games in round 5 and 6. A late season return through the Casey Demons reserves failed to win him a recall to the senior side and the injuries eventually finished his season. 2011
5041-525: Was voted "Player of the Century" in 2000, played his entire career with Hawthorn and brought many of the Hawthorn disciplines to the Lions. Importantly, he forced the Lions to embrace and acknowledge their Fitzroy heritage with murals and records being erected at the Gabba, and past players names being placed on lockers. Within a year, the Lions rose from the bottom of the ladder to fourth. The 1999 season included
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