Throughout the journey that is the combined history of Fitzroy, Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions it has become a tradition to recognise players who have been regarded as kings of their respective eras, as voted by the players themselves.
Along the way we’ve had Percy Parratt, Percy Trotter, Haydn Bunton, Allan Ruthven, Kevin Murray, John Murphy, Garry Wilson, Paul Roos, Roger Merrett and Michael Voss. All champions of the game and all favorites of the extended Lions family. Kings of the Pride.
Tonight we honor the King of the Pride from 2007-2016.
It was a two-horse race between Simon Black and Jonathan Brown – and ultimately it was Black who came out on top, receiving just over 1% more votes than Brown.
Luke Power, Tom Rockliff and Joel Patful rounded out the top five.
Drafted to the Brisbane Lions in 1997 - with selection No.31 no less - Black set out hoping just to play one game. Yet this quiet, unassuming youngster from Western Australia went on to play 322 games from 1998-2013 and establish himself as one of the very best of all-time.
A pivotal member of the Lions triple premiership side of 2001-02-03, he won the Brownlow Medal in 2002 and the Norm Smith Medal in 2003 to claim a unique place in football history … the only player with this collection of medals.
He was All-Australian in 2001-02-04, won the Lions B&F in 2001-02-06, and finished top 3 in the prestigious Merrett/Murray Medal a staggering nine times. He was equal 1st, 1st and equal 2nd in the B&F in the premiership years.
Joint club captain in 2007-08, he was a prolific inside midfielder with an extraordinary ability to find a teammate by hand and by foot and averaged better than 20 possessions per game an extraordinary 14 years in a row from 2000.
A fierce competitor who stretched humility to extreme levels and embodied everything good about football, he is adored by everyone in the Lions family and respected unequivocally by opponents across the board.
Now a member of the Lions coaching staff, he is the King of the Pride 2007-16.
At a glance:
Club/s
:
Brisbane Lions
Years
:
1998-2013 (Player)
2014 - (Asst. Coach)
Games 322
Goals 171
Honours/Awards
- Lions Premiership Player (2001, 2002, 2003)
- Norm Smith Medal (2003)
- Brownlow Medal (2002)
- Brownlow Medal Runner-Up (2007-08)
- Brisbane games record holder
- Lions Club Champion (2001-02, 2006)
- Lions Club Champion Runner-Up (five times)
- Lions Co-Captain (2007-08)
- All Australian (2001-02, 2004)
- Only player in VFL/AFL history to have played 300+ games, won a Brownlow, been part of a premiership, and received the Norm Smith Medal
- AFL Life Member
- Lions Life Member
