NEWLY crowned Brisbane Lions Club Champion Joel Patfull thought his career was on thin ice when delisted by Port Adelaide in 2004.

Patfull, 27, had been a rookie at the Power for two years but was cut and had to play a season for Norwood in the SANFL.

He was then picked up by the Lions in the 2005 AFL National Draft, and after seven seasons in Brisbane, claimed the club's highest individual honour, the Merrett-Murray Medal, on Friday night.

Patfull (34 points) played all 22 games in defence and edged out fourth-year midfielder Daniel Rich (32) in a close count.

"It's pretty significant for me. I've had some reasonably tough times over the years and I feel like I've had to work pretty hard to get where I am," Patfull said.

"I'm very proud … it's a magnificent award. I don't think it's sunk in but maybe over the next few days I'll realise how much it means to me."

Patfull said despite his Port Adelaide delisting, he always believed he had one more chance at the big time.

Once given a lifeline by the Lions he did everything right, trained hard and has not looked back.

"The Brisbane Lions couldn't have been better, they've showed that much faith in me over the years, they've really looked after me and if it wasn't for them I might have been playing park footy in Adelaide," he said.

"Vossy has showed faith in me playing on the good players. You're going to get beaten, they're good players, they're going to beat you now and then, but every time you play them you learn new tricks."

Patfull said his best 'scalp' of the year was keeping Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich to just two marks and one goal when the teams met in round three.

"It does seem that the midfielders that get the possessions and kick the goals always win these awards so it's good for the defenders to get some recognition," he said.

"I still feel like I've got my best footy ahead of me.

"I thought my year was consistent but I still think I've got a lot of things I can get better at. I'll go into this pre-season and put everything into it and keep improving."

Michael Whiting covers Brisbane Lions news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_mikewhiting

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club or the AFL.