THIS week we’re taking you all the way back to 1996 when, the then Bears superstar and future Lions captain, Michael Voss won the Brownlow medal alongside Essendon's James Hird.
In the final year of the Brisbane Bears’ existence, where they finished third in the competition, Voss was a standout player who amassed top votes on 5 separate occasions throughout the Season.
He polled maximum votes in Rd1 – 33 disposals, 2 goals, Rd4 – 27 disposals, 3 tackles, Rd5 – 28 disposals, 2 goals, Rd8 – 29 disposals, 6 marks and Rd20 – 27 disposals, 2 goals.
Voss finished the season with a total of 21 votes, as did Hird and Corey McKernan. This could have been a three-way tie, however McKernan was ineligible to win the medal due to a suspension earlier in the year.
On this night, Michael Voss became the first and only winner of the Brownlow Medal from the Brisbane Bears.
The two winners from this night later went on to lead their teams into the 2001 Grand Final, where Voss and the Brisbane Lions went on to become Premiers.