C
Sports Infrastructure
2 min
Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Headquarters Project
The proposed headquarters and training facility are planned for the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve in Caulfield East.
Brisbane Lions Australian Rules Football Club
Key Takeaways & Facts
- The Brisbane Lions were formed in 1996 via the merger of the Fitzroy Football Club and the Brisbane Bears.
- The club plays its home matches at the Gabba in Brisbane.
- The team won three consecutive AFL premierships from 2001 to 2003.
The Brisbane Lions are a professional Australian rules football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, competing in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club was established in 1996 through the merger of the AFL operations of the Melbourne-based Fitzroy Football Club (founded in 1883) and the Brisbane Bears (founded in 1987). The club's official colours—maroon, blue, and gold—draw directly from both founding entities.
History and Origins
The Fitzroy Football Club was formed on 26 September 1883 and later became a foundation club of the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1897. Fitzroy won multiple premierships across the VFA and VFL eras but faced severe financial difficulties and ground eviction issues by the mid-1990s. Concurrently, the Brisbane Bears entered the VFL/AFL in 1987, initially playing on the Gold Coast before relocating permanently to the Gabba in Brisbane by 1993.
Facing financial insolvency and lack of a permanent home ground, Fitzroy's AFL operations were absorbed by the Brisbane Bears ahead of the 1996 season, creating the modern Brisbane Lions structure.
On-Field Success and Achievements
The Brisbane Lions achieved significant success during the early 21st century, appearing in four consecutive VFL/AFL grand finals from 2001 to 2004 and winning three consecutive premierships from 2001 to 2003 under coach Leigh Matthews. The club also fields a team in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, which was established as a foundation team in 2017, securing premiership titles in 2021 and 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Brisbane Lions were formed in 1996 following the merger of the Fitzroy Football Club and the Brisbane Bears.
References (10)
- [1]
Blucher, Peter (14 September 2023). "Vale Noel Gordon". Brisbane Lions. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- [2]
"Fitzroy disappeared from the AFL in 1996, but it left behind a rich history as a VFL founder". 27 February 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- [3]
"'Means a heap': Loose pubs, an iconic site, loyal fans — Inside Vic's lasting Swans, Lions connection". Fox Sports. 27 September 2024.
- [4]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were capped crowd capacities during the 2020 season
- [5]
Brown, Jonathan (2015). Life and Football (1st ed.). Penguin Group (Australia). p. 192. ISBN 978-0-14379-977-1.
- [6]
"2021 Financial Report" (PDF). Brisbane Lions. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- [7]
In 2019 and 2020, the AFLW was split into two conferences. c denotes the statistic for Brisbane's conference, while o denotes the statistic if the conferences were combined.
- [8]
"Fitzroy Football Club – Gorillas".
- [9]
"2017 FINANCIAL REPORT" (PDF). Brisbane Lions. 31 October 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- [10]
For a short period in the 2018/19 off-season, from November '18 to March '19, the Lions' co–major sponsors were Oaks Hotels & Resorts and SOOW; however, the contract with SOOW was cancelled before the first game of the home-and-away season was played.