Simon Black is one of the most decorated players in the Club’s merged history having achieved almost every honour in the game.

A three time premiership player, Brownlow Medallist (2002) and Brisbane Lions game record holder (322 games), Black’s silky skills, leadership, durability and ball winning abilities kept him among the competition’s elite midfielders in a career spanning 16 seasons.

“I’m a very proud Clubman and have spent a lot of my years here.

“This Club means a lot to me, but it’s been a difficult few years,” Black (now an Assistant Coach) told media following the Lions’ pre-season training session this morning.

“That said, I do genuinely believe that we’ve got some really good (playing) ability into the Club now that we can start to find our way back up the ladder.”

Brisbane finished 17th in 2015, but welcomed four players (Bell, Bastinac, Walker and Jansen) through trade during the off-season to complement the Lions’ developing youth and seasoned players and Black is confident circumstances can change quickly.

“It’s not going to be easy, it’s all going to be based on hard work.

“I know they’re looking forward to the challenge.

“They’re a really tight, united playing group and are really keen to jump into the hard work over summer.”

Also needing a little ‘work’, Black joked, was his patchy Movember Moustache.

Black has joined the Lions’ Mo-Bro’s for the Movember Foundation – committed to changing the face of men’s health.

“It hasn’t started too well,” he laughed.

“In another two or three weeks it might shape up alright.”

Donate to the Brisbane Lions Movember team here.