2016 is a momentous year for the Brisbane Lions; the Club will celebrate its third bi-annual Hall of Fame event, where past greats are recognised for their contribution to the Club and inducted into the Hall of Fame; it also marks 100 years since the Fitzroy Football Club reigned Premiers in 1916, and 60 years since Hall of Fame Legend Kevin Murray won the first of his record-breaking nine Best and Fairest awards.
To celebrate, the team will don a custom designed Fitzroy-inspired commemorative Guernsey in their match against Richmond in Round 14 on Saturday 25th June and a Hall of Fame dinner will follow that evening.
“Fitzroy is an integral part of our football Club and the direction we’re still heading now,” Captain Tom Rockliff said at the Club’s Hall of Fame Launch on Thursday.
“It’s always good to pull the jumper on down here in Melbourne.
“This year we’ve got six games in Melbourne and one in Geelong it’s good to still have that involvement and with the ‘Roy Boys’ there is nothing better when the chant goes around Etihad or the MCG when we’re up and about.”
As a co-host for the evening, former Lions forward Jonathan Brown will join MC, Craig Willis – the voice for Aussie Rules and the Australian Tennis Open.
“I’m looking forward to working with the dulcet tones of Craig Willis. We’ve probably got a similar deep voice but he’s a little more polished,” Brown said.
“This is the great part about the Club. We’re very inclusive of Fitzroy’s history, obviously the longest and greatest part of this Club’s era.
“It’s important to really involve the Melbourne supporters. It’s got a proud history this Football Club and I think the Hall of Fame is symbolic of that.”
2014 Hall of Fame inductee Chris Johnson (264 games for Fitzroy and Brisbane) joined Brown and Rockliff for the launch and said it was a great honour to be included amongst the Club’s greatest ever players.
“To be a part of that elite group with Kevin Murray, Michael Voss, Alistair Lynch – just to be amongst them is an honour for myself and anyone else that gets inducted,” Johnson said.
