Leigh Matthews' VFL/AFL career, as both player and coach, has been crowned with success and legendary status.

Matthews played 332 senior matches and kicked 915 goals with Hawthorn from 1969-85 and is regarded as one of the best players to have ever graced a football field. At the Hawks, he was part of four premiership sides, won a remarkable eight best and fairest awards, and also spent five seasons as Captain.

Following his retirement from football in 1985, Matthews moved into coaching and famously led Collingwood to a breakthrough premiership in 1990.

He later joined the Brisbane Lions at the end of the 1998 season, and transformed the Club from wooden-spooners to AFL Premiers in just three years. Matthews went on to guide the Lions to an historic hat-trick of premierships from 2001-2003.

He retired from coaching at the end of 2008, but continued to have a presence in the AFL with a prominent media role.

He returned to Club in October 2013 as Football Director on the Brisbane Lions Board.

In 2017, Matthews stepped aside from the roles of Football Manager and Deputy Chairman, after telling the Board that his work across the football media industry meant he could not commit to a major role on an ongoing basis. Matthews remains a Director on the Brisbane Lions board.