| Brisbane Lions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Names | ||||
| Full name | Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club Limited, trading as Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club[1] | |||
| 2024 season | ||||
| After finals | AFL: Premiers AFLW: Runners-up | |||
| Home-and-away season | AFL: 5th AFLW: 3rd | |||
| Leading goalkicker | AFL:Joe Daniher (61) AFLW:Taylor Smith (22) | |||
| Best and fairest | AFL:Lachie Neale AFLW:Ally Anderson | |||
| Club details | ||||
| Founded | 1 November 1996 From the incorporated AFL operations of: Fitzroy Football Club (formed 1883)[2][3] Brisbane Bears (formed 1987)[4][5] | |||
| Colours | Maroon Blue Gold | |||
| Competition | AFL: Senior men AFLW: Senior women VFL: Reserves men | |||
| Chairman | Andrew Wellington[6] | |||
| CEO | Greg Swann | |||
| Coach | AFL:Chris Fagan AFLW:Craig Starcevich VFL:Ben Hudson | |||
| Captain(s) | AFL:Harris Andrews andLachie Neale AFLW:Breanna Koenen | |||
| Number-one ticket holder(s) | Dan Anstey[7] Abby Coleman | |||
| Premierships | AFL (4)[8]AFLW (2)Reserves (5) | |||
| Ground(s) | AFL:The Gabba (1997–present) AFLW:Springfield Central Stadium (8,000) VFL:Springfield Central Stadium | |||
| Training ground(s) | Springfield Central Stadium (2022–present) | |||
| Uniforms | ||||
| ||||
| Other information | ||||
| Official website | lions.com.au | |||
 Current season | ||||
TheBrisbane Lions are a professionalAustralian rules football club based inBrisbane, Queensland, that compete in theAustralian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. Brisbane are the reigning AFLpremiers, having won the2024 Grand Final by sixty points.
The Lions came into existence in 1996 when the AFL expansion club theBrisbane Bears, established in 1987, absorbed the AFL operations of one of the league's foundation clubs,Fitzroy, established inMelbourne, Victoria in 1883.[9][10][11][12] Its colours of maroon, blue, and gold were drawn from both Fitzroy and the Bears.[13][14][15][16]
The club plays its home matches atthe Gabba in Brisbane, and its headquarters and training facilities are located atSpringfield Central Stadium. The Lions are one of the most successful AFL clubs of the 2000s, appearing in four consecutivegrand finals from2001 to2004, a period in which they won three premierships (2001,2002,2003). They also finished runners-up in2023, and won their fourth premiership in2024.
The Lions were a foundation team in theAFL Women's competition in 2017, and have featured in five grand finals in that time, winning the premiership in2021 and again in2023 also finishing runners-up on the other occasions. They also field a reserves men's team in theVictorian Football League, and operate an under-18s academy which contests Division 2 of themen's andwomen's underage national championships and theTalent League.
The Melbourne-basedFitzroy 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.[17]
They quickly became one of the most successful clubs, consistently in the top four, and drawing large crowds to their home at theBrunswick 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 the Maroons, and one (1944) as the Gorillas. The club also boasted 6 Brownlow Medal winners who wereHaydn Bunton Sr.,Wilfred Smallhorn,Dinny Ryan,Allan Ruthven,Kevin Murray, andBernie Quinlan.[18]
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 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 a revival in the '80s, when the Lions made the finals four times under the coaching ofRobert Walls andDavid Parkin, and the playing group of 1981 Brownlow MedallistBernie Quinlan,Ron Alexander,Garry Wilson,Gary Pert andPaul Roos, the club's financial situation was perilous.
The VFL's plans tomove or merge struggling Fitzroy to Brisbane pre-dated the Brisbane Bears, and negotiations between the league and the club began in 1986 with the playing group voting for a move to Brisbane.[19] 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 a cloud, Fitzroy began to consider options for survival.[3]
The Brisbane Bears were born in 1987 and initially played home matches atCarrara Stadium on theGold 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 the collapse of the business empire belonging to Bears deputy chairmanChristopher Skase and the resignation of chairmanPaul 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.[20]
To survive, The Bears experimented with playing matches at 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.[20]
The Bears only qualified for the finals series in 1995 and 1996, and the closest the club came to aGrand 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 asMichael Voss,Justin Leppitsch,Jason Akermanis,Darryl White, andNigel Lappin, 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.[21]
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 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),[22] remained atthe Gabba, and were coached by Bears coachJohn Northey. However, the club's identity, logo, song, and guernsey were based on those of Fitzroy, three Fitzroy representatives served on the board, and the Lions kept an office in Melbourne. None of the Fitzroy representatives, former Fitzroy championLaurie Serafini, David Lucas and Ken Levy, chosen to serve on Brisbane's board, were Fitzroy directors at that time.[23][24]
Eight Fitzroy players were allowed to be recruited to the Brisbane Lions outside of the normal draft or trade system. They wereBrad Boyd,Chris Johnson,Jarrod Molloy,John Barker,Nick Carter,Simon Hawking,Scott Bamford andShane Clayton.[25]
Fitzroy played its last VFL/AFL game on 1 September 1996 againstFremantle atSubiaco Oval, and 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 in1997.
In 1997, the Lions narrowly made the finals, finishing eighth. They ended up with the same win–loss record as fellow 1997 newcomersPort Adelaide, who missed out due to having an inferior percentage.[26] Their first two games were against the eventual grand finalists of that year,Adelaide andSt 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 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 the1998 season. Accordingly, Northey was sacked as coach with eight rounds remaining in the season. During the off-season, the club hiredLeigh Matthews, who in1990 had deliveredCollingwood its first premiership since1958.
Matthews, who was voted "Player of the Century" in 2000, played his entire career withHawthorn 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.[27] Within a year, the Lions rose from the bottom of the ladder to fourth. The1999 season included a Round 20 Gabba match where the Lions ledFremantle 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.[28] Brisbane won their first finals as a merged entity againstCarlton and theWestern Bulldogs before losing to the eventual premiers, theKangaroos, in a 1999 preliminary final. The Lions played finals again in 2000 but bowed out in 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. VictorianLuke Power, Fitzroy father–son selectionJonathan Brown, and exciting WA productSimon Black came via the draft, andBrad Scott,Mal Michael, and ex-Fitzroy B&F winnerMartin Pike were recruited from Hawthorn, Collingwood, and North Melbourne respectively.
The Lions began 2001 by making the final of theAnsett Australia Cup, their first pre-season grand final. They went down by 85 points away to Port Adelaide,[29] 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 aPredator quote, "if it bleeds, we can kill it", to inspire his team for the game.[30] The Lions then won 16 games straight, finishing the year undefeated and booking their place in the2001 AFL Grand Final to playEssendon.
Going in as underdogs, Brisbane started the game well, scoring the first goal of the match from a free kick awarded toAlastair Lynch for holding againstDustin Fletcher. Essendon fought back late in the first quarter and then took control of 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.
| 2001 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total | |||
| Brisbane Lions | 15 | 18 | 108 | |||
| Essendon | 12 | 10 | 82 | |||
| Venue:MCG | Crowd: 91,482 | |||||
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 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 playerShaun Hart winning theNorm Smith Medal after being judged best on ground in theGrand Final.[31]: 521
| 2002 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total | |||
| Brisbane Lions | 10 | 15 | 75 | |||
| Collingwood | 9 | 12 | 66 | |||
| Venue:MCG | Crowd: 91,817 | |||||
In 2002, the Lions won a club-record 17 games, spending most of the season firmly entrenched in the top two with Port Adelaide. They narrowly missed out on the minor premiership following a final round defeat to the Power in Adelaide.[32] 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 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 ruckmanBeau McDonald and utility playerMartin Pike to injury and had to complete the match with a limited bench.[citation needed]
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 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)[31]: 860 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; the record was equalled byMelbourne'sChristian Petracca 18 years later in the2021 Grand Final.[33]
| 2003 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total | |||
| Brisbane Lions | 20 | 14 | 134 | |||
| Collingwood | 12 | 12 | 84 | |||
| Venue:MCG | Crowd: 79,451 | |||||
During their premiership years, the club took the premiership cups toBrunswick Street Oval, Fitzroy, the home of theFitzroy 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. This tradition was continued for the 2024 premiership triumph, and fan days were also held for the 2004 and 2023 grand final loses.[34][35]
| 2004 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total | |||
| Port Adelaide | 17 | 11 | 113 | |||
| Brisbane Lions | 10 | 13 | 73 | |||
| Venue:MCG | Crowd: 77,671 | |||||
The2004 season saw Brisbane remain in the top portion of the ladder for most of the season. Reaching the finals in second position, Brisbane controversially had to travel to Melbourne to play againstGeelong in the preliminary final due to a contract between theMelbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and theAustralian Football League (AFL) that required one preliminary final to be played each year at the MCG.[36] Port Adelaide had finished on top of the ladder and hosted the other preliminary final in Adelaide. Former playerJason Akermanis has since claimed that coach Leigh Matthews was furious over the preliminary final location decision.[37] Despite this setback, Brisbane beat Geelong and reached thegrand 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 was the first-everall-non-Victorian grand final.[38] The grand final is partly remembered for a wild punch-up between Port Adelaide'sDarryl Wakelin and Alastair Lynch, who was playing in his last ever game and therefore immune from suspension.[39]
The Lions endured a slow start to the2005 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 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 theTelstra Dome. It remains the club's heaviest defeat, in addition to being the largest victory in the over-100-year history of St Kilda.[40] Some believed that the St Kilda game, rather than the 2004 Grand Final, had signaled the end of Brisbane's triple premiership dynasty.[41]
The Lions began the2006 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 2007NAB Cup Grand Final. The Lions failed to make the finals for a third successive year, again showing promising glimpses at stages, with a shock away win against reigning premiers theWest Coast Eagles, and a 93-point hiding of finalists Collingwood at the MCG.[42] 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 a 10–12 record, losing 3 games despite having at least 5 more scoring shots in each of those games. Following the season, CoachLeigh Matthews resigned after 10 seasons and 3 premierships with the club. The Lions appointed former player and CaptainMichael 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 the ladder, where they finished the season. They also recorded a strong victory over eventual premiersGeelong 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 theWestern Bulldogs in a Semi Final.
The 2009/2010 off-season was dominated by the arrival ofBrendan Fevola from Carlton, with 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 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, theGold 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.[43] Despite their worst season since 1998, coachMichael 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 remained:Simon Black andJonathan Brown.
The2013 season started well for Brisbane, defeatingCarlton in the final of theNAB Cup, withDaniel Rich winning theMichael Tuck Medal for best on ground. However, the club began its 2013 season with back-to-back losses to theWestern Bulldogs andAdelaide. Injuries took a toll on the team, with young playersClaye Beams andJared Polec suffering severe injuries.[44][45] In Round 13, Brisbane defeated second-placedGeelong, coming from 52 points down late in the third quarter to win by 5 points due to anAsh McGrathgoal after the siren in his 200th match, in what became known as theMiracle on Grass.[46]
On 13 August 2013, coach Michael Voss was told his contract would not be renewed.[47][48][49][50]
On 18 October 2013, Brisbane LionsHall 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 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 ofAsh McGrath, meant there were no players from the triple-premiership era remaining at the club.[51]
On 29 August 2016, just one day after 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.[52][53]
On 4 October 2016, Hawthorn football managerChris Fagan was announced as Brisbane's senior coach from the 2017 season onwards.[54]
The Lions claimed the 2017wooden 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, behindFremantle 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.
The Lions had a dramatically improved 2019 season, making the finals for the first time since 2009 and finishing second on the AFL ladder with 16 wins, behind minor premiers Geelong on percentage. However, Brisbane were bundled out of the finals in straight sets at the Gabba, losing to eventual premiers Richmond by 47 points in their qualifying final and then to eventual runners-up Greater Western Sydney by three points in their semi-final due to a late Brent Daniels goal. The Lions became the first team since Geelong in 1997 to finish second on the ladder and not progress to a preliminary final.
Brisbane repeated their form displayed in 2019 the following year, once again finishing second on percentage at the conclusion of the home-and-away season, which, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, was mostly played in south-east Queensland. They won 14 games in a shortened 17-game season. During their qualifying final, they defeated Richmond for the first time since 2009 and qualified for a preliminary final berth, but were beaten by a more experienced Geelong side in that match, thus missing out on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play for a premiership in their own Gabba backyard.[55]
After an inconsistent start to the2021 season the Lions hit form, winning seven straight games to sit in the top four for most of the year. However, losses to Melbourne, Richmond, Hawthorn and St Kilda meant the Lions sat in fifth as of the final round.
With the double chance on the line, the Lions regained fourth spot in the dying seconds of their final home-and-away game against West Coast. A behind kicked byLincoln McCarthy put them ahead of the fourth-placed Bulldogs by a single point of ladder percentage, and a goal after the siren fromCharlie Cameron then sealed the result for the Lions, who finished in the top four for the third year running under Chris Fagan. However, the Lions bowed out in straight sets for the second time in three years after suffering losses to eventual premiers Melbourne and eventual runners-up Western Bulldogs in the finals, with the latter winning by a single point, due to a contentious free kick paid to the Bulldogs in the final seconds of the game.
Brisbane reached the finals once again in 2022, but this time missed the top four. With a win-loss record of fifteen wins and seven losses, the Lions finished sixth and hosted seventh-placed Richmond at the Gabba in an Elimination Final. After a close game which had 17 lead changes, the Lions prevailed, defeating the Tigers by a margin of two points in a 106–104 victory thanks to a lateJoe Daniher goal. The Lions then played theMelbourne Demons in the Semi-Final, and upset the reigning premiers against all odds, bundling them out in straight sets with a score of 92–79 to progress to their second Preliminary Final under Fagan, taking on Geelong once again in a rematch of the 2020 Preliminary Final.
Unfortunately for Brisbane, their impressive finals run came to an end against the Cats, suffering a 71-point defeat in the First Preliminary Final that ended their2022 season.
Brisbane reinforced their squad with multiple star signings in the off-season, such as gun midfielderJosh Dunkley, tall forwardJack Gunston and father–son drafteeWill Ashcroft, to make them one of the competition's flag favourites for the2023 AFL season. Additionally, Fagan also penned a two-year contract extension to keep him at the club until 2025, withLachie Neale andHarris Andrews also taking over as co-captains from long-serving Lions veteranDayne Zorko, who stepped down before the commencement of the 2023 season.
Brisbane finished the 2023 Home & Away season in second position, finishing in the Top 2 for the third time under Fagan after previously doing so in 2019 and 2020, and finishing in the Top 4 for the fourth time after also doing so in 2021. They facedPort Adelaide in the Second Qualifying Final on the 9th of September at the Gabba, beating the Power by 48 points and going straight through to a home preliminary final, their third under Fagan, where they facedCarlton on the 23rd of September for a place in the2023 AFL Grand Final.
After conceding the first five goals, The Lions fought back, prevailing by 16 points over the Blues to progress to the AFL Grand Final for the first time since2004. This meant that they faced Collingwood, exactly 20 years on since they faced the Magpies in the 2003 Grand Final and completed the historic three-peat.
The Lions fell short of the premiership in 2023, losing to the Magpies in an extremely close Grand Final with a final score of 12.18.(90) to 13.8.(86).
| 2023 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total | |||
| Collingwood | 12 | 18 | 90 | |||
| Brisbane Lions | 13 | 8 | 86 | |||
| Venue:MCG | Crowd: 100,024 | |||||
The Lions had a rough start to the2024 season, starting 2–5 and suffering multiple season-ending injuries to best-23 players, and sitting in 13th by the conclusion of Round 13. However, the Lions would rally post-bye, at one stage stringing together a nine-game win streak and sitting as high as second on the ladder. The Lions would eventually finish fifth on the ladder with a home and away record of 14–8–1, qualifying for finals for the sixth successive season and locking in a home Elimination Final at the Gabba against Carlton, who they defeated 14.15.(99) to 11.5.(71) to progress to the second week of finals, where they met Greater Western Sydney in an away Semi-Final.
The Lions made history against the Giants in the Semi-Final, after trailing by as much as 44 points midway through the third quarter and still managing to prevail, defeating the Giants 15.15. (105) to 15.10. (100) to record one of the biggest finals comebacks of all time. Their victory meant that they progressed to their fourth Preliminary Final under Fagan, facingGeelong in a Preliminary Final at the MCG. The Lions came back from a 25 point deficit to defeat the Cats 14.11. (95) to 12.13. (85) to progress to their second straight Grand Final under Fagan.
| 2024 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total | |||
| Brisbane Lions | 18 | 12 | 120 | |||
| Sydney Swans | 9 | 6 | 60 | |||
| Venue:MCG | Crowd: 100,013 | |||||
The Lions faced off againstSydney in the2024 AFL Grand Final, thumping the Swans with a score of 18.12. (120) to 9.6. (60), avenging their loss in2023 and claiming the club's first premiership since2003. The Lions became the second side under thecurrent finals system to win the premiership from outside the Top Four, after theWestern Bulldogs in2016.Will Ashcroft claimed theNorm Smith Medal as the best afield, winning the award at the age of 20, the second youngest player to do so in VFL/AFL history, afterCarlton'sWayne Harmes in the1979 VFL Grand Final, who was 19 at the time.
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Crowds and memberships for the Brisbane Lions grew dramatically during the four seasons in which they made the AFL Grand Final.
The club still maintains healthy Victorian support, and The Royal Derby Hotel in Fitzroy is the official social venue for Victorian Lions fans, showing all televised games, and displaying a mural of club greats Kevin Murray, Jonathan Brown, and Chris Johnson on its Alexandra Parade side.[56]
To add to this presence in Melbourne, the Lions Historical Society is based at Etihad Stadium, containing exhibits from Fitzroy, the Bears, and the Brisbane Lions.[57]
A 2000Roy Morgan AFL survey of household incomes suggested that Brisbane Lions supporters were among the lowest-earning supporters in the league.[58]
| Year | Members [59] | Change from previous season | Finishing position | Finals result/Wooden spoon | Average home crowd [60] | Profit (loss) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 16,769 | — | 8th | Qualifying finalists | 19,550 | Unknown |
| 1998 | 16,108 |  661 | 16th | Wooden spoon | 16,675 | |
| 1999 | 16,931 |  823 | 3rd | Preliminary finalists | 21,890 | |
| 2000 | 20,295 | 3,364 | 6th | Semi-finalists | 27,406 | |
| 2001 | 18,330 | 1,965 | 2nd | Premiers | 27,638 | ($845,000)[61] |
| 2002 | 22,288 | 3,958 | 2nd | Premiers | 26,895 | Unknown |
| 2003 | 24,365 | 2,077 | 3rd | Premiers | 31,717 | $2,200,000[62] |
| 2004 | 30,941 | 6,576 | 2nd | Grand finalists | 33,619 | Unknown |
| 2005 | 28,913 | 1,308 | 11th | — | 33,267 | |
| 2006 | 26,459 | 2,454 | 13th | 28,630 | ||
| 2007 | 21,976 | 4,483 | 10th | 28,848 | $1,058,000[63] | |
| 2008 | 22,737 | 761 | 10th | 28,128 | ($2,200,030)[64] | |
| 2009 | 24,873 | 2,136 | 6th | Semi-finalists | 29,172 | ($603,207)[65] |
| 2010 | 26,779 | 1,906 | 13th | — | 29,933 | ($2,713,848)[66] |
| 2011 | 22,338 | 4,441 | 15th | 20,462 | ($1,855,926)[67] | |
| 2012 | 20,762 | 1,576 | 13th | 20,344 | ($2,513,262)[68] | |
| 2013 | 24,130 | 3,368 | 12th | 21,083 | ($1,574,762)[69] | |
| 2014 | 24,012 | 118 | 15th | 19,743 | ($3,543,138)[70] | |
| 2015 | 25,408 | 1,396 | 17th | 18,810 | ($681,053)[71] | |
| 2016 | 23,286 | 2,122 | 17th | 17,074 | ($1,783,506)[72] | |
| 2017 | 21,362 | 1,924 | 18th | Wooden spoon | 16,455 | ($2,261,990)[73] |
| 2018 | 24,867 | 3,505 | 15th | — | 18,405 | ($230,641)[74] |
| 2019 | 28,821 | 3,954 | 2nd | Semi-finalists | 24,741 | $648,618[75][a] |
| 2020 | 29,277 | 456 | 2nd | Preliminary finalists | 10,648[b] | $3,073,413[76] |
| 2021 | 40,289 | 11,012 | 4th | Semi-finalists | 20,603 | $2,938,037[77][c] |
| 2022 | 43,319 | 3,030 | 6th | Preliminary finalists | 25,818 | $2,384,997[78][d] |
| 2023 | 52,373 | 9,054 | 2nd | Grand finalists | 27,455 | $633,056[79] |
| 2024 | 63,268 | 10,895 | 5th | Premiers | 29,045 |
Statistics highlighted inbold denote the best known season for Brisbane in that category
Statistics highlighted initalic denote the worst known season for Brisbane in that category
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Greg Swann | Chief Executive Officer |
| Andrew Wellington | Chairman |
| Sarah Kelly | Deputy chairman |
| Cyril Jinks | Directors |
| Leigh Matthews | |
| Peter McGregor | |
| Mick Power | |
| Ross Thornton | |
| Danny Daly | General Manager of Football |
| Dom Ambrogio | List Manager |
| Andrew Crowell | Personal Excellence and Wellbeing Manager |
| Damien Austin | High Performance Manager |
| Stephen Conole | Senior Recruiting Manager |
| Leon Harris | Recruitment Consultant |
| Year | Kit Manufacturer | Major Sponsor | Shorts Sponsor | Back Sponsor | Above number sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Cotton On | Hyundai | Austraffic | Hyundai | – |
| 2018 | Bond University | ||||
| 2019–20 | Icon Group | ||||
| 2021 | Price Attack | ||||
| 2022 S6 | Hastings Deering | ||||
| 2022 S7–23 | BMD | ||||
| 2024– | Youi |
TheFitzroy Football Club came out of administration in 1998. For a brief time, it experimented in partnerships with other semi-professional and amateur clubs before incorporating the Fitzroy Reds in 2009 to play in theVictorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). Fitzroy largely resumed its original VFL/AFL identity playing in the VAFA through its continued use of its 1975–1996 VFL/AFL jumper, its club song, and its 1884–1966 home ground at theBrunswick Street Oval.
The goal was to not only maintain a strong presence in Melbourne for Victorian-based Fitzroy/Brisbane Lions supporters, but to also provide for the Fitzroy supporters who chose not to support Brisbane in the AFL. This was all done with the full support of the Brisbane Lions.[82]
Fitzroy Football Club improved its relationship with the Brisbane Lions in the ten years from 1999 to 2009. In that time Brisbane have used the letters BBFFC printed below the back of the neck of the club's guernseys from 2002 onwards, in line with Brisbane's official name.[83][84] Fitzroy played the curtain-raiser at theMCG when the Brisbane Lions metCollingwood in the AFL Heritage Round fixture in 2003. Brisbane also now wears a version of the Fitzroy guernsey, with red instead of maroon, for most AFL matches in Victoria and other states.
Relationships between Fitzroy and Brisbane became strained in 2009, when Brisbane announced that it was adopting a new club logo. The Fitzroy Football Club argued this decision contravened Section 7.2 (c) of the Deed of Arrangement between Fitzroy and Brisbane when the two entities merged in 1996. The new logo, featuring a forward-facing lion's head, replaced the former Fitzroy logo of apassant lion with a football. The new logo was placed onto the club's home jumper and was mockingly referred to as 'The Paddlepop Lion', proving to be deeply unpopular among Lions fans who demanded it be changed back to the traditional Fitzroy passant Lion.[85]
On 22 December 2009, Fitzroy lodged a Statement of Claim in theSupreme Court of Victoria, seeking an order that the Brisbane Lions be restrained from using as its logo, the new logo or any other logo other than 'the Fitzroy lion logo', in line with Brisbane's legal obligations as specified in the Deed of Arrangement, including their obligation to use the Fitzroy logo in perpetuity. On 15 July 2010, the two clubs reached a settlement, agreeing that the Fitzroy logo symbolically represents the historic deal between Brisbane and Fitzroy, and represents the Brisbane Lions in the AFL. Fitzroy agreed to a compromise whereby Brisbane would use both the old and new logos alongside each other in an official capacity for the next 14 years on all official club stationery and club publications, as well as the Lions' official website for seven years.[86][87][88][89]
After immense pressure from both Lions and Fitzroy fans, Brisbane returned to using the old passant lion logo on its playing guernseys from 2015 onwards, but the new lion remained as the club's official logo.[90][91]
The Brisbane Lions have since renewed and maintained strong ties with the Fitzroy Football Club in the VAFA and the Fitzroy junior football club. The Brisbane Lions sponsor a male and female Fitzroy player each year, conduct coaching workshops for Fitzroy, frequently invite the Fitzroy juniors to form a guard of honour for Victorian games, and have had many Fitzroy past players and representatives as elected board members.[92][93]
In 1997, the club unveiled its new emblem, consisting of the golden Fitzroy Lion on a badge of Maroon and Blue. The club used this emblem from 1997 until the end of 2000. In 2001, the club unveiled a new emblem in the shape of a football, emblazoned with the words "Brisbane Lions" and with the Fitzroy Lion located within the "o" of Lions, and the last of the club logos to have the AFL logo on it & this emblem was used until 2009, when the emblem was again changed, this time in favour of a forward-facing Lion head.
Home Guernsey (worn 1997–2009 and since 2015): Predominantly maroon guernsey with a blue yoke featuring a goldenFitzroy Lion, with a gold collar and cuffs. For shorts, maroon home shorts are worn in home games including the away match against theSwans at theSCG, while the white shorts are worn with the guernsey in theAFL Grand Final, only if the Lions were to played as the away team.
Away Guernsey (worn 2008–2009 and since 2015): Predominantly red guernsey with a blue yoke featuring a golden Fitzroy lion, with a blue collar and cuffs, and based on Fitzroy's final colours in the AFL. White away shorts are worn when this guernsey is used and played predominantly in matches except against theSuns,Giants and theSwans.
Clash Guernsey (worn since 2023): This predominantly gold guernsey features a maroon Fitzroy lion on a gold background (reminiscent of theBears' first guernsey), with a maroon yoke and golden cuffs, only to be worn if playing against both theSuns and theGiants. The same shorts as the Away Guernsey are worn.
The Lions'Mascot Manor representative and club mascot was Bernie "Gabba" Vegas until 2015 when Roy the Lion (named Roy after the nickname for Fitzroy fans) replaced him as mascot. In 2021 the club unveiled their Lioness mascot Auroara.[94]
The club's team song, "The Pride of Brisbane Town", is based on the Fitzroy Football Club song written by ex-Fitzroy playerBill Stephen, and is sung to the music of "La Marseillaise", the French national anthem.[95][96]
Between 1997 and 2022, the club trained out ofthe Gabba during the football season. The club's administrative and indoor training facilities were also located in the stadium. Due to thecricket season in the summer which is during the off-season for the Lions, the club was required to train at alternative locations over the years, this has included the University of Queensland campus,[97] Leyshon Park inYeronga,[98]Giffin Park inCoorparoo,Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex inBurpengary and elsewhere, meaning the club lacked a dedicated and permanent home year-round. In 2020 the club announced that it would move its training and administrative facilities intoSpringfield Central Stadium (known for ground-sponsorship purposes as Brighton Homes Arena), an 8,000-capacity high-class facility inIpswich that enables the club to base itself in the single location and play reserve-grade and AFLW matches at the one location.[99][100][101] The Lions moved into the facility in October 2022.[102]
Pre-1996, Fitzroy and Collingwood were fierce local rivals for over 100 years, sharing a suburban boundary downSmith Street, Melbourne, meeting in the 1905 and 1922 grand finals (both won by Fitzroy), and both clubs topping the premiership tally in the early days of the VFL.[103][104] The bad blood between The Bears and Collingwood began in 1993 after top draft pickNathan Buckley walked out on them and went to the Magpies after playing only a single season in Brisbane. Buckley was adamant that the move was the right career direction, with the belief he had more chance of winning a premiership elsewhere.[105] However the rivalry between the Lions and the Magpies was properly ignited in late 1999 when Collingwood played their last ever AFL game at their spiritual home ground, Victoria Park. The Lions emerged 42 point victors that day and consigned the Magpies to their second wooden spoon in their VFL/AFL history. The rivalry between the two clubs peaked in the early 2000s, as the clubs played off in two consecutive Grand Finals in 2002 and 2003, with the Lions emerging victors on both occasions.[106] The two clubs clashed once again in the 2023 Grand Final, 20 years on from their 2003 contest, with the Magpies emerging as the victors this time.
The Brisbane Lions have a rivalry with fellow Queensland AFL team theGold Coast Suns. The two teams contest theQClash twice each season. The first QClash was held in2011, with the game establishing the highestpay TV audience ever for an AFL game, with a total of 354,745 viewers watching the game.[107]
The medal for the player adjudgedbest on ground is known as theMarcus Ashcroft Medal. It is named after former footballerMarcus Ashcroft, who played junior football on the Gold Coast forSouthport and 318 VFL/AFL games for the Brisbane Bears/Lions between 1989 and 2003. He later joined Gold Coast's coaching staff and was the first Queenslander to play 300 VFL/AFL games.[108] SunTouk Miller has won the medal four times, the most by any player.
The trophy awarded to the winner of the game is currently known as the "QClash Trophy". The trophy is a "traditional style" looking silver cup with a wooden base and a plaque. The plaque's inscription reads from left to right, "Brisbane Lions AFC", "QCLASH", "Gold Coast Suns FC".[109]
ThePort Adelaide Football Club entered the AFL in 1997 after Fitzroy's AFL operations were merged with Brisbane. Supporters of Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears were aggrieved about Port's entry having taken place under these circumstances.
In their early days, the two clubs could not be separated and had multiple close encounters, with a draw in two of their first three meetings.[26] In the early 2000s, the rivalry reached its peak as the two clubs were the most dominant of the era, consistently finishing at the top of the ladder.[110] Between 2001 and 2004, the clubs met each other in the2001 Ansett Australia Cup Grand Final, a 2001 qualifying final, a 2002 preliminary final and the2004 Grand Final. Other notable encounters from this period include a round 22 match in 2002 to determine the minor premiership that year,[32] which Port Adelaide won by a single goal, and a round 17 match in 2003 with 7 lead changes in the final quarter, which Port Adelaide won by a point.
| Premierships | |||
| Competition | Team | Wins | Seasons Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Football League | Seniors | 4 | 2001,2002,2003,2024 |
| AFL Women's | Seniors | 2 | 2021,2023 |
| Queensland Australian Football League(1998–2010) | Reserves | 1 | 2001 |
| North East Australian Football League(2011–2019) | 4 | 2012,2013,2017,2019 | |
| Victorian Football League(2021–) | 0 | Nil | |
| Other titles and honours | |||
| AFL pre-season competition | Seniors | 1 | 2013 |
| AFLX Tournament | Seniors | 1 | 2018 |
| Finishing positions | |||
| Australian Football League | Minor premiership | 0 | Nil |
| Grand Finalist | 2 | 2004,2023 | |
| Wooden spoons | 2 | 1998,2017 | |
| AFL Women's | Minor premiership | 2 | 2017,2022 (S7) |
| Grand Finalist | 4 | 2017,2018,2022 (S7),2024 | |
In June 2006, to recognise ten years since the creation of the Brisbane Lions, a Team of the Decade was announced.[111]
| Name | Year inducted as inductee | Year inducted as legend | Reference | Hall of Fame profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haydn Bunton Sr. | N/A | 2012 | [112] | Profile |
| Kevin Murray | N/A | 2012 | [112] | Profile |
| Michael Voss | 2012 | 2014 | [113] | Profile |
| Garry Wilson | 2012 | 2016 | [114] | Profile |
| Simon Black | N/A | 2023 | [115] | |
| Jonathan Brown | 2019 | 2023 | [115] | Profile |
| No. | Coach | P | W | L | D | W% | Years |
| 1 | John Northey | 34 | 12 | 21 | 1 | 35.29 | 1997–1998 |
| 2 | Roger Merrett | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 27.27 | 1998 |
| 3 | Leigh Matthews | 237 | 142 | 92 | 3 | 59.92 | 1999–2008 |
| 4 | John Blakey | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 2005 |
| 5 | Michael Voss | 109 | 43 | 65 | 1 | 39.45 | 2009–2013 |
| 6 | Mark Harvey | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 | 2013 |
| 7 | Justin Leppitsch | 66 | 14 | 52 | 0 | 21.21 | 2014–2016 |
| 8 | Chris Fagan | 167 | 94 | 73 | 0 | 56.29 | 2017–present |
| No. | Coach | P | W | L | D | W% | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craig Starcevich | 25 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 56.00 | 2017– |
| 2 | Daniel Merrett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 2020 |
| Captain | Image | Season(s) | Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alastair Lynch |  | 1997–2000 (co-captain) | |
| Michael Voss | | 1997–2000 (co-captain) 2001–2006 (sole captain) |
|
| Simon Black |  | 2007–2008 (co-captain) | |
| Jonathan Brown | .jpg) | 2007–2008 (co-captain) 2009–2012 (sole captain) 2013 (co-captain) |
|
| Chris Johnson |  | 2007 (co-captain) | |
| Nigel Lappin | 2007–2008 (co-captain) | ||
| Luke Power |  | 2007–2008 (co-captain) | |
| Jed Adcock |  | 2013 (co-captain) 2014 (sole captain) | |
| Tom Rockliff |  | 2015–2016 | |
| Dayne Beams |  | 2017–2018 | |
| Dayne Zorko |  | 2018–2022 | |
| Lachie Neale |  | 2023– (co-captain) |
|
| Harris Andrews |  | 2023– (co-captain) |
|
| Captain | Image | Season(s) | Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Zielke |  | 2017–2018,2020–2021 | AFLW premiership captain:2021 |
| Leah Kaslar |  | 2019 | |
| Breanna Koenen |  | 2022 (S6)–present |
| Rank | Crowd | Round, Season | Result | Opponent | Brisbane Lions | Opposition | Margin | Venue | Day/Night/Twilight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37,478 | QF2, 2019 | Loss | Richmond | 8.17 (65) | 18.4 (112) | −47 | The Gabba | Night |
| 2 | 37,224 | 15, 2005 | Win | Collingwood | 19.19 (133) | 7.13 (55) | +78 | The Gabba | Night |
| 3 | 37,032 | PF2, 2001 | Win | Richmond | 20.16 (136) | 10.8 (68) | +68 | The Gabba | Night |
| 4 | 36,803 | 4, 2003 | Win | Collingwood | 14.11 (95) | 11.15 (81) | +14 | The Gabba | Night |
| 5 | 36,780 | 2, 2010 | Win | Carlton | 16.11 (107) | 12.16 (88) | +19 | The Gabba | Night |
| 6 | 36,467 | 3, 2004 | Win | Collingwood | 21.11 (137) | 12.5 (77) | +60 | The Gabba | Night |
| 7 | 36,197 | 1, 2003 | Win | Essendon | 14.20 (104) | 8.13 (61) | +43 | The Gabba | Night |
| 8 | 36,149 | 10, 2001 | Win | Essendon | 15.12 (102) | 10.14 (74) | +28 | The Gabba | Night |
| 9 | 36,077 | 17, 2005 | Win | Essendon | 17.12 (114) | 14.17 (101) | +13 | The Gabba | Night |
| 10 | 36,020 | QF2, 2023 | Win | Port Adelaide | 19.9 (123) | 11.9 (75) | +48 | The Gabba | Night |
Legend:Premiers,Wooden spoon
| Finishing Position | Year (Finals in Bold) | Tally |
|---|---|---|
| Premiers | 2001,2002,2003,2024 | 4 |
| Runner-up | 2004, 2023 | 2 |
| 3rd | nil | 0 |
| 4th | 1999, 2020, 2022 | 3 |
| 5th | 2000, 2019, 2021 | 3 |
| 6th | 2009 | 1 |
| 7th | nil | 0 |
| 8th | 1997 | 1 |
| 9th | nil | 0 |
| 10th | 2007, 2008 | 2 |
| 11th | 2005 | 1 |
| 12th | 2013 | 1 |
| 13th | 2006, 2010, 2012 | 3 |
| 14th | nil | 0 |
| 15th | 2011, 2014, 2018 | 3 |
| 16th | 1998 | 1 |
| 17th | 2015, 2016 | 2 |
| 18th | 2017 | 1 |
| Senior list | Rookie list | Coaching staff | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Head coach Assistant coaches
| |||||||||
| Brisbane Lions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Names | ||
| Former name(s) | Suncoast Lions (2004–2011) | |
| Former nickname(s) | Lion Cubs | |
| 2023 season | ||
| Home-and-away season | 4th | |
| Club details | ||
| Founded | 1998 (as a reserves side) | |
| Competition | Victorian Football League | |
| Coach | Ben Hudson | |
| Premierships | QAFL (1)NEAFL (4) | |
| Ground(s) | Springfield Central Stadium | |
| Uniforms | ||
| ||
TheBrisbane reserves are thereserves team of the club, currently competing in theVictorian Football League.
In the inaugural year of the Brisbane Lions (1997), the club affiliated with theQueensland Australian Football League (QAFL), allowing players not selected for the AFL team to be drafted to individual clubs.[118] Reserves players not on an AFL list cannot be called up to the AFL team, they must first be drafted into the AFL.
Between1998 and2010, the club's reserves team participated in the QAFL, where it was initially known as the "Lion Cubs".[119] The club won their first reserve-grade premiership in2001 when they defeated theSouthport Sharks in the Grand Final. In2004, they began to compete as the Suncoast Lions Football Club. The side played home matches atthe Gabba (as a curtain raiser game for Brisbane Lions matches) and, formerly, at the Fishermans Road football complex on theSunshine Coast.[120]
In 2011, the team moved to the multi-stateNorth East Australian Football League (NEAFL), where they won four premierships − 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2019.
Following the NEAFL disbanding after the2019 season, the reserves side moved to theVictorian Football League (VFL), with their first season in2021.[121]
Since 2023, the side has played reserves matches atSpringfield Central Stadium.
| Year | Competition | Opponent | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | QAFL | Southport Sharks | 13.20 (98) – 13.8 (86) | Giffin Park |
| 2012 | NEAFL | Queanbeyan Tigers | 22.12 (144) – 11.9 (75) | Manuka Oval |
| 2013 | NEAFL | Sydney Swans | 12.9 (81) – 10.13 (73) | Graham Road Oval |
| 2017 | NEAFL | Sydney Swans | 12.13 (85) – 10.22 (82) | Sydney Cricket Ground |
| 2019 | NEAFL | Southport Sharks | 20.15 (135) – 8.11 (59) | Fankhauser Reserve |
| Season | Competition | W–L–D | Ladder position | Finals result | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | QAFL | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown[a] | Roger Merrett |
| 1999 | Unknown | ||||
| 2000 | |||||
| 2001 | Premiers | Craig Brittain | |||
| 2002 | Unknown[a] | ||||
| 2003 | |||||
| 2004 | |||||
| 2005 | |||||
| 2006 | John Blakey/Daryn Cresswell | ||||
| 2007 | Craig Brittain | ||||
| 2008 | Paul Hudson | ||||
| 2009 | Craig Brittain | ||||
| 2010 | 6–12–0 | 8/10 | — | Craig McRae | |
| 2011 | NEAFL (Northern Conference) | 4–13–1 | 10/10 | Nathan Clarke | |
| 2012 | 14–4–0 | 2/10 | Northern Conference Premiers League Premiers | ||
| 2013 | 16–2–0 | 1/10 | Northern Conference Premiers League Premiers | Leigh Harding | |
| 2014 | NEAFL | 6–12–0 | 9/14 | — | |
| 2015 | 2–16–0 | 10/11 | Shane Woewodin[122] | ||
| 2016 | 3–15–0 | 10/10 | |||
| 2017 | 15–3–0 | 2/17 | Premiers | Mitch Hahn | |
| 2018 | 10–7–1 | 5/10 | Elimination finalists | ||
| 2019 | 18–0–0 | 1/10 | Premiers | ||
| 2020 | Season cancelled due toCOVID-19 | ||||
| 2021 | VFL | 3–7–0 | 17/22 | — | |
| 2022 | 14–4–0 | 2/21 | Preliminary finalists | ||
| 2023 | 13–4–1 | 4/21 | Preliminary finalists | Ben Hudson | |
| 2024 | 13–5–0 | 3/21 | Preliminary finalists | ||
Statistics highlighted inbold denote the best known season for Brisbane in that category
Statistics highlighted initalic denote the worst known season for Brisbane in that category
In May 2016, the club launched a bid to enter a team in the inauguralAFL Women's season in2017.[123] The Brisbane Lions were granted a licence on 15 June 2016, becoming one of eight teams to compete in the league's first season.[124] Former AFL Queensland employee Breeanna Brock was appointed to the position of Women's CEO the following day.[124]
Tayla Harris andSabrina Frederick-Traub were the club's first signings, unveiled along with the league's other 14 marquee players on 27 July 2016.[125] A further 23 senior players and two rookie players were added to the club's inaugural list in the league'sdrafting and signing period. Emma Zielke captained the team for their inaugural season.[126]
Former Collingwood and Brisbane Bears player and AFL Queensland coachCraig Starcevich was appointed the team's inaugural head coach in June 2016.[127] The rest of the coaching team was announced on 8 November 2016 asDavid Lake as the midfield coach,Daniel Merrett as the backline coach andBrent Staker as the forward coach.[128] Car company Hyundai, along with Epic Pharmacy, sponsored the team in 2017.[129]
The Lions have been a successful team in the AFLW, reaching the finals in six of the first seven seasons. They narrowly lostgrand finals in2017,2018, and2022 (S7), and only missed out on finals in 2019. Due to a shortened 2020 season, the Lions played a Qualifying Final against Carlton before the season was prematurely ended due to COVID border restrictions. No premiership was awarded in 2020.
In2021 the team finally broke through to win their first premiership by defeating arch-rival Adelaide in the grand final.
In 2023 the Lions took out their second premiership by defeating North Melbourne at IKON Park by 17 points. Captain Breanna Koenen was adjudged best afield for her performance in the grand final.
The team plays their home games atSpringfield Central Stadium in Ipswich.
| Senior list | Rookie list | Coaching staff | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Head coach Assistant coaches
| |||||||||
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Breeanna Brock | Chief Executive Officer |
| Zachary Zropf | Football Analyst |
| Alex Gorman | Sports Psychologist |
| Michael Swann | Wellbeing Mentor |
| Matt Green | High Performance Manager |
| Alice Walker | Head of Medical |
| Jessica Clarey | Physio |
| Abbey Le Busque | Head Trainer |
| Kieran Miles | Doctor |
| Brisbane AFLW honour roll | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Ladder | W–L–D | Finals | Coach | Captain | Best and fairest | Leading goalkicker | |
| 2017 | 1st | 6–0–1 | Runners-up | Craig Starcevich | Emma Zielke | Emily Bates | Kate McCarthy (9) | |
| 2018 | 2nd | 4–3–0 | Runners-up | Craig Starcevich | Emma Zielke | Kate Lutkins | Jess Wuetschner (13) | |
| 2019 | 4thc/9tho[a] | 2–5–0 | DNQ | Craig Starcevich | Leah Kaslar | Ally Anderson | Jess Wuetschner (8) | |
| 2020 | 3rdc/7tho[a] | 3–2–1 | Qualifying final | Craig Starcevich[b] | Emma Zielke | Emily Bates | Jesse Wardlaw (9) | |
| 2021 | 2nd | 7–2–0 | Premiers | Craig Starcevich | Emma Zielke | Ally Anderson | Dakota Davidson (16) | |
| 2022 (S6) | 3rd | 8–2–0 | Preliminary final | Craig Starcevich | Breanna Koenen | Emily Bates | Greta Bodey (13) | |
| 2022 (S7) | 1st | 9–1–0 | Runners-up | Craig Starcevich | Breanna Koenen | Emily Bates | Jesse Wardlaw (22) | |
| 2023 | 4th | 7–3–0 | Premiers | Craig Starcevich | Breanna Koenen | Ally Anderson | Dakota Davidson (23) | |
| 2024 | 3rd | 9–2–0 | Runners-up | Craig Starcevich | Breanna Koenen | Ally Anderson | Taylor Smith (22) | |
TheBrisbane Lions Academy consists of the club's junior development signings. It was formed in 2010 as one of four Northern AFL Academies including theGold Coast Suns Academy,Sydney Swans Academy andGWS Giants Academy.
28 staff (including 3 full time) manage 220 selected underage players from age 12 up.[130]
The men's and women's U16 and U18 teams have contested Division 2 of the men's and women's underage championships since 2017. The Under 16 women's was crowned inaugural champions in 2023.
The Lions Academy also joined theTalent League in 2019.
Past academy members include the Brisbane Lions senior men's AFL playersHarris Andrews,Eric Hipwood,Keidean Coleman,Jack Payne,Jaspa Fletcher andMatthew Hammelmann. It also includes players who went on to other clubs :Mabior Chol,Noah Cumberland,Wylie Buzza,Samson Ryan,Ben Keays, andWill Martyn. Academy members who went on to excel in other sports includeKalyn Ponga[131] andCorey Horsburgh.[132]
Notable female academy players include Brisbane Lions senior AFLW playersMikayla Pauga,Sophie Conway,Belle Dawes,Gabby Collingwood,Nat Grider,Tahlia Hickie,Jade Ellenger,Lily Postlethwaite,Luka Yoshida-Martin andCharlotte Mullins. Players who went on to other clubs include:Jesse Wardlaw,Zimmorlei Farquharson andJacqui Yorston.
During theAustralian Marriage Law Postal Survey, Brisbane Lions supported the Yes vote.[133]
Brisbane Lions was a supporter of theVoice to Parliament.[134]
Remarkably, the first three encounters between the two sides had resulted in two draws and a two-point thriller
...the Magpies poached Nathan Buckley, the contempt continued. The Lions got their own back with a couple of grand final wins over Collingwood in '02 and '03.
Brisbane v Port Adelaide. During the early 2000s it was one of the biggest rivalries in football.
foot was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).
