Who are the Brisbane Lions?
The Brisbane Lions are an AFL club based in Brisbane, formed in 1996 by a merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Football Club. They play at the Gabba and won three premierships in a row from 2001 to 2003.
The Brisbane Bears joined the VFL in 1987 as one of its first interstate clubs. Fitzroy, a historic Melbourne club founded in 1883, was struggling financially, and the two clubs merged to form the Brisbane Lions, which played its first season in 1997.
The new club inherited Fitzroy's history, including the Lion emblem and club song. It plays in maroon, blue and gold.
The three-peat
Under coach Leigh Matthews, the Lions won the 2001, 2002 and 2003 premierships. Players such as Michael Voss, Jonathan Brown, Simon Black, Alastair Lynch and Nigel Lappin starred in one of the greatest teams of the modern era.
The Lions won another premiership in 2024 under coach Chris Fagan, defeating the Sydney Swans in the Grand Final at the MCG.
The club's AFL Women's team won premierships in 2021 and 2023. The Gabba, in the Brisbane suburb of Woolloongabba, has been its home ground since the club's formation.
Did You Know?
Fitzroy continues as an amateur club in Melbourne, keeping its proud history alive.