As we welcome the players and coaches back for the pre-season, I’d like to share with you all the latest from around the footy Club.
There has been plenty of action off the field since the end of the 2014 season and plenty for members to be excited about.
Trade Period
Dayne Beams and Allen Christensen – two names you are all well and truly familiar with for their on field achievements – are now proud Brisbane Lions thanks to the sterling efforts of Greg Swann, Dean Warren, Justin Leppitsch, Peter Schwab and our recruiting team during a truly outstanding trade period.
It was gratifying to see the large amount of work done off the field during the past 12 months in developing culture and player welfare be recognised with such high-calibre, established players declaring their intent to join our Club.
The high levels of professionalism and nerve shown at the trade table was another sign that our Club will not compromise when it comes to standing up for ourselves and backing the direction we are headed.
The tone was set earlier in the month when we committed to take two of our Hyundai Lions Academy players in the national draft – Liam Dawson and Harris Andrews – as well as Josh Clayton with a Father-Son selection.
The signing of Mitch Robinson as a delisted free agent capped a highly successful few weeks for the Club in the recruiting stakes, and I’m sure you will join with me in congratulating everyone involved.
2015 Fixture & Round 1 Blockbuster
With so much excitement building ahead of next season, we could not have asked for a better season opener than Collingwood at the Gabba on Easter Saturday night.
The Club is planning for a massive night with a range of new initiatives for fans and members – we’ve already announced the match day social club for members at the Gabba.
It would be great if you could get right behind the blockbuster, start planning for the game and help spread the word to get as many people as possible to the ground.
It will set the tone for the rest of our season at the Gabba, which includes hosting Carlton and Richmond, as well as last season’s prelim finalists North Melbourne and Port Adelaide, and grand finalists Sydney – not to mention the return bout of the QClash against the Gold Coast in Round 19.
Our Victorian members will see plenty of the boys early in the season, unlike 2014 where they had to wait until Round 9 for live Premiership action.
We will ensure that our Victorian members have a range of opportunities to catch up with the team during the season – planning is already underway for the fan day, junior clinic and training sessions prior to our games.
It is particularly pleasing that the AFL have taken into account the submission we have made on improving the 2015 fixture.
Guernsey & Membership Launch
The launch of our 2015 membership campaign, combined with the unveiling of the 2015 playing guernsey, has proved a major hit.
The jumper – the Club’s original guernsey – was designed at the time of the 1997 merger and was famously worn by the Club during its 3-Peat premiership success from 2001-2003.
Most importantly, you, the members, voted at last year’s Annual General Meeting to bring it back as our playing strip and we have been happy to oblige.
You have taken to social media to throw your support behind the 2015 jumper as part of our #PrideInTheJumper campaign, joining a host of celebrities including Susie O’Neill, Bill McDonald, Laura Geitz and our own Jon Brown on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook in voicing your approval.
More than 1,000 of the 2015 jumpers have already been sold, a massive increase on recent years.
We thank you for your support and again encourage you to spread the word about the direction our Club is headed.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting is set down for Wednesday, December 17, in the Legends Room at the Gabba, commencing at 6pm.??At the close of nominations on November 1, the Club had received nine nominations for the five Director positions that will be up for a member vote. The Board has resolved to conduct a postal ballot to give all members the opportunity to have their say.??Four existing Directors – Leigh Matthews, Mick Power AM, Peter McGregor and Andrew Wellington – have all nominated, as well as Phillip Di Bella, Julie Greenwood, James Kliemt, Christopher Raleigh, and Ross Thornton.??Voting papers and candidate biographies will be distributed to eligible members later this month, with voting papers to be returned to, and tallied by, an independent returning officer before the results are announced at the AGM.??It is pleasing to see such a high level of interest in our Board and I encourage those of you with voting rights to make your vote count.
Preseason has started
Finally, with the team back and running at preseason training, I would encourage you to take the opportunity to get down to Coorparoo or Yeronga to watch our players go through their paces.??In modern sport, it’s rare to get the chance to have such a close-up encounter with top-class athletes and I’m certain the boys would appreciate your support as they slog it out in the summer heat!
Cheers and Go Lions
