The 27 year-old had a superb season in defence this year, and garnered a total of 34 votes from the Lions’ Match Committee - narrowly edging out midfielder Daniel Rich (second place with 32 votes) and Irishman Pearce Hanley (third place with 28.5 votes).
In Patfull’s seven seasons in the AFL, he has regularly played on a variety of opposition forwards with little fuss or fanfare.
His is a role that rarely claims individual plaudits, but rather focuses on the small, ‘team-first’ things that win games of football - evidenced by Patfull’s Club-high 153 one percenters this season.
It is therefore a fitting reward for the Club stalwart, who now becomes the 10th recipient of the Merrett-Murray Medal in the Lions’ merged history.
Patfull was also awarded with the Shaun Hart Most Courageous Player award.
Daniel Rich, who finished Runner-Up, had what was arguably a career-best season and, despite missing two games through suspension, trailed Patfull by just two votes.
Meanwhile, first-year sensation Dayne Zorko took out the Rookie of the Year award, despite seemingly being ineligible for the honour.
The criteria for the Lions’ Rookie of the Year previously stipulated that the winner must be aged under 21 years and have played 10 or fewer senior games before the start of the season.
However, the Match Committee unanimously decided that there was no more deserving recipient than the 23 year-old Queenslander, and obtained Board approval to change the criteria to eliminate the age restriction.
Zorko therefore went home with the Rookie of the Year award, along with an equal seventh placing in the best and fairest count.
Last year’s third place-getter Jack Redden proved a popular choice with both teammates and members, taking home both the Players’ Player of the Year and the Members’ Player of the Year awards, while narrowly missing out on the Club Champion top three by just half a vote.
Rounding out the winners’ list was midfielder Andrew Raines, whose constant application to his team role every week earned him the Marcus Ashcroft Most Professional Player award.
The Club also inducted Robert Walls as a Life Member in recognition of the significant contribution he made with both Fitzroy and the Bears.
The full list of winners from the Brisbane Lions’ 2012 Club Champion awards ceremony is below.
Merrett-Murray Medal (Club Champion Winner): Joel Patfull
Nigel Lappin Trophy (Club Champion Runner-Up): Daniel Rich
Alastair Lynch Trophy (Club Champion Third Place): Pearce Hanley
Players’ Player of the Year: Jack Redden
Marcus Ashcroft Most Professional Player: Andrew Raines
Shaun Hart Most Courageous Player: Joel Patfull
Rookie of the Year: Dayne Zorko
Members’ Player of the Year: Jack Redden
Life Member Inductee: Robert Walls
Merrett-Murray Medal Voting
1. Joel Patfull - 34 votes
2. Daniel Rich - 32 votes
3. Pearce Hanley - 28.5 votes
=4. Jonathan Brown - 28 votes
=4: Jack Redden - 28 votes
6. Tom Rockliff - 26.5 votes
=7. Jed Adcock - 25 votes
=7. Daniel Merrett - 25 votes
=7. Dayne Zorko - 25 votes
10. Simon Black - 22 votes
Past Winners
2011: Tom Rockliff
2010: Michael Rischitelli
2009: Jonathan Brown
2008: Jonathan Brown
2007: Jonathan Brown
2006: Simon Black
2005: Jason Akermanis
2004: Nigel Lappin
2003: Michael Voss
2002: Simon Black
2001: Simon Black, Michael Voss
2000: Michael Voss
1999: Justin Leppitsch, Jason Akermanis
1998: Chris Scott
1997: Matthew Clarke
Check out the round-by-round votes for the entire season
