Retired Simon Black (1997-2013)

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Grimreepah

Grimreepah

BigFooty One Armed Man
Veteran 30k Posts 10k Posts Brisbane Lions - 2013 Elliot Yeo Player Sponsor Brisbane Lions - 2013 Daniel Rich Player Sponsor Brisbane Lions - Patrick Karnezis 2012 Player Sponsor Brisbane Lions - Tom Rockliff 2011 Player Sponsor
Mar 1, 2006
40,827
2,645
Melbourne
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
pick 31 in the 1997 National Draft

687924-simon-black.jpg


Summary:

* appointed co-captain (#4)
* 200th game (#21)
* Brownlow runner up (#45)
* 2007 Review (#52)
* recollections of being drafted (#55)
* Brownlow runner up (#174)
* 2008 Review (#196)
* demoted from co-captain to co-vice captain (#197)
* 250th game (#279)
* 4th in Brownlow (#296)
* 2009 Review (#310)
* 2010 Review (#417)
* relinquishes vice captaincy (#430)
* AFL life membership (#452)
* Brisbane's first QClash medallist (#555)
* clearance stats (#572)
* ankle surgery (#603)
* BigFooty player of the year (link)
* Charman's punch to the ribs (#609)
* birth of first child: Lachlan Thomas Black (#612)
* 2011 review (#668)
* unrestricted free agent (#732)
* 300th game (#816)
* 2012 review (#930)

Contract status: -> 2012 (+2013)

Premierships:

2001

Code: 
B:      Chris Johnson    Justin Leppitsch  Darryl White 
HB:      Nigel Lappin      Chris Scott        Marcus Ashcroft 
C:      Jason Akermanis  Michael Voss (c)  Robert Copeland 
HF:      Shaun Hart        Jonathan Brown    Luke Power 
F:      Daniel Bradshaw  Alastair Lynch    Martin Pike 
Foll:    Clark Keating    [U]Simon Black[/U]        Brad Scott 
Int:    Beau McDonald    Craig McRae        Tim Notting
        Mal Michael
Coach:  Leigh Matthews
2002

Code: 
B:      Chris Johnson    Chris Scott        Justin Leppitsch 
HB:      Luke Power        Mal Michael        Marcus Ashcroft 
C:      Shaun Hart        Michael Voss (c)  Martin Pike 
HF:      Des Headland      Jonathan Brown    Nigel Lappin 
F:      Jason Akermanis  Alastair Lynch    Darryl White 
Foll:    Clark Keating    [U]Simon Black[/U]        Brad Scott 
Int:    Beau McDonald    Craig McRae        Tim Notting       
        Aaron Shattock
Coach:  Leigh Matthews
2003

Code: 
B:      Chris Johnson    Mal Michael        Darryl White 
HB:      Luke Power        Justin Leppitsch  Nigel Lappin 
C:      Jason Akermanis  Michael Voss (c)  Martin Pike 
HF:      Ashley McGrath    Jonathan Brown    Robert Copeland 
F:      Craig McRae      Alastair Lynch    Daniel Bradshaw 
Foll:    Clark Keating    [U]Simon Black[/U]        Shaun Hart 
Int:    Jamie Charman    Blake Caracella    Marcus Ashcroft 
        Richard Hadley
Coach:  Leigh Matthews

Merrett-Murray Medal Results:

1998: 18th (12 votes)
1999: 10th (44 votes)
2000: =7th (37 votes)
2001: =1st (65 votes)
2002: 1st (66 votes)
2003: =2nd (70 votes)
2004: 3rd (66 votes)
2005: =11th (32.5 votes)
2006: 1st (53.5 votes)
2007: =5th (48.5 votes)
2008: 2nd (51 votes)
2009: 2nd (56.5 votes)
2010: 2nd (34.5 votes)
2011: 2nd (35.5 votes)
2012: 10th (22 votes)
Click to expand...

All Australian:

2001

Code: 
B:      Gavin Wanganeen    Jonathan Hay      Darren Gaspar
HB:      Joel Smith        Sean Wellman      Andrew McKay
C:      Jason Akermanis    Brett Ratten      Nathan Buckley
HF:      Michael Voss      Warren Tredrea    James Hird (C)
F:      Brad Ottens        Matthew Lloyd      Ben Cousins
Foll:    Matthew Primus    [U]Simon Black[/U]        Andrew McLeod
Int:    Nigel Lappin
Coach:  Leigh Matthews

2002

Code: 
B:      Chris Johnson      Matthew Pavlich    Glenn Archer
HB:      Brett Montgomery  Justin Leppitsch  Ben Hart
C:      Jason Akermanis    [U]Simon Black [/U]      Adem Yze
HF:      Michael Voss (C)  Warren Tredrea    Brad Johnson
F:      Nathan Brown      David Neitz        Luke Darcy
Foll:    Matthew Primus    Josh Francou      Ben Cousins
Int:    Shane Crawford    Nigel Lappin      Mark Ricciuto 
        Adam Simpson 
Coach:  Leigh Matthews

2004

Code: 
[B]B:[/B] Leo Barry     Matthew Scarlett      Chris Johnson
[B]HB:[/B] Austinn Jones      Chad Cornes          Adam McPhee
[B]C:[/B] Chris Judd      [U]Simon Black[/U]          Nigel Lappin
[B]HF:[/B] Jason Akermanis    Warren Tredrea (VC)  Nick Riewoldt
[B]F:[/B] Barry Hall     Fraser Gehrig        Luke Power
[B]Foll:[/B] Jeff White     Mark Ricciuto (C)    Scott West
[B]Int:[/B] James Clemen        Chad Fletcher        Brett Kirk
Matthew Lappin 
[B]Coach:[/B] Mark Williams
Brisbane Lions Team of the Decade:

Code: 
[B]B:[/B] Chris Johnson   Mal Michael         Darryl White
[B]HB:[/B] Marcus Ashcroft    Justin Leppitsch Chris Scott
[B]M:[/B] Nigel Lappin   Michael Voss (c) Brad Scott
[B]HF:[/B] Jason Akermanis    Jonathan Brown Craig McRae
[B]F:[/B] Luke Power   Alastair Lynch Daniel Bradshaw
[B]Foll:[/B] Clark Keating   [U]Simon Black[/U]         Shaun Hart
[B]Int:[/B] Martin Pike   Tim Notting         Jamie Charman  
        Richard Champion
Coach: Leigh Matthews
Coach's Votes:

2010: 20
2011: 48
Click to expand...
Mike Sheahan's Top 50:

2001 (e): 6
2002 (s): 7
2002 (e): 3
2003 (s): 4
2003 (e): 6
2004 (s): 6
2004 (e): 8
2005 (s): 9
2005 (e): -
2006 (s): 17
2006 (e): 29
2007 (s): 23
2007 (e): 39
2008 (s): 20
2008 (e): ?
2009 (s): 12
2009 (e): 22
2010 (s): 26
2010 (e): -
2011 (s): -
Click to expand...
Tribunal record:

* round 15, 2007 - striking (104 demerit points reduced to 78)
* round 4, 2009 - reckless contact with an umpire (125 demerit points and $2600 reduced to 93.75 demerit points and $1950)
* round 11, 2010 - first offence for abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene language towards umpire ($2600 reduced to $1950)
Click to expand...
Honours:

* Lions Best First Year Player (1998)
* AFL Rising Star Nomination (round 9, 1999)
* 3rd place in 1999 Rising Star
* Lions Rookie of the Year (1999)
* International Rules Series (2001)
* Brownlow Medal (2002)
* Norm Smith Medal (2003)
* Lions Premiership Player (2001, 2002, 2003)
* All-Australian (2001, 2002, 2004)
* Lions Team of the Decade Member (2006)
* Lions Life Member (2007)
* Lions Co-Captain (2007-2008)
* Lions Vice-Captain (2009)
 
Re: Simon Black

Hi everyone this is from the Lions website ( a little info on Blacky)




Simon Black

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CAREER GAMES/GOALS
Guernsey Number: 20


Height 186cm


Weight: 82kg


Recruited From: East Fremantle (WA)


Debut: 1998


Date of Birth: 3 April 1979




Player Statistics - Simon Black
Season
AFL 2006 Premiership Season

Round Date vs. K H P M HO T FF FA G B
Round 1 01/04/2006 Geelong 10 9 19 4 0 2 1 0 0 0
Round 2 08/04/2006 Essendon 17 16 33 4 0 1 1 1 0 0
Round 3 13/04/2006 St Kilda 5 5 10 0 0 1 1 3 0 0
Round 4 22/04/2006 Richmond 12 8 20 1 0 3 1 2 0 0
Round 5 29/04/2006 West Coast Eagles 19 12 31 3 0 3 0 1 0 1
Round 6 07/05/2006 Sydney Swans 10 7 17 4 0 3 0 0 0 0
Round 7 13/05/2006 Hawthorn 19 12 31 4 0 7 3 0 0 0
Round 8 21/05/2006 Port Adelaide 12 8 20 1 0 4 0 1 0 0
Round 9 28/05/2006 Fremantle 13 14 27 6 0 3 4 1 2 0
Round 10 03/06/2006 Collingwood 14 13 27 5 0 6 1 1 0 0
Round 11 10/06/2006 Adelaide 10 18 28 2 0 4 1 1 0 0
Round 12 17/06/2006 Western Bulldogs 10 16 26 2 0 7 2 1 3 2
Round 13 01/07/2006 Carlton 12 15 27 3 0 7 1 1 0 0
Round 14 08/07/2006 Melbourne 11 25 36 4 0 6 1 1 0 1
Round 15 15/07/2006 Kangaroos 2 14 16 0 0 7 0 2 0 0
Round 16 22/07/2006 Hawthorn 14 13 27 5 0 4 1 1 0 0
Round 17 29/07/2006 Essendon 15 9 24 1 0 11 3 1 1 0
Round 18 06/08/2006 Geelong 13 9 22 1 0 5 2 0 0 0
Round 19 12/08/2006 Richmond 6 12 18 3 0 5 1 0 0 0
Round 20 20/08/2006 West Coast Eagles 13 13 26 5 0 6 1 1 2 0
Round 21 26/08/2006 Sydney Swans 10 10 20 4 0 4 1 1 0 0
Round 22 02/09/2006 St Kilda 10 15 25 1 0 9 0 1 0 0



CAREER BRIEF
Previous Clubs: East Fremantle
Draft Details: Selection No.31 – 1997 National Draft
AFL: Debut: Lions v W/Bulldogs (Gabba) Rd 1, 1998
AFL Finals: 18


CAREER HISTORY

Simon Black's 2005 started three games late because of suspension and was hampered by a calf injury late on - but those interruptions did nothing to diminish the high regard in which the 2002 Brownlow Medallist is held around the Gabba.

After serving a striking suspension stemming from the 2004 grand final, Black didn't take long to make an impression in 2005, snaring 26 possessions in his first appearance against Hawthorn in Round 4. A slight case of the "second-up" syndrome probably applied to his next three matches but from then on he was at his consistent best.

Over the next 12 weeks, Black missed the 20-possession mark in only one game and had three of 30 or more, helping the Lions turn a 3-7 start to the season into an 8-7 record after Round 15. As was the case with teammates Jason Akermanis and Jonathan Brown, the Lions push for September lost momentum when Black got injured. A corked calf kept him out of the Round 20 loss to Sydney and restricted him in Rounds 21 and 22.

With Brownlow and Norm Smith medals among his trophy collection, Black had the distinction of being one of the most decorated players in the game by the ripe old age of 24.

When the Lions won their third straight premiership, Black had played in each of them and collected a Brownlow and Norm Smith Medal along the way, and won two club champion awards.

He continued his remarkably consistent form in 2004, playing all 25 games and claiming his third All-Australian jumper.

So highly rated was Black that much of Port Adelaide’s 2004 pre-grand final planning was spent on trying to shut him down. It worked, with Kane Cornes blunting his effectiveness.

That came 12 months after Black had collected an equal club record 39 possessions in the 2003 grand final demolition of Collingwood.

The suspension stemming from the 2004 decider broke an outstanding sequence of 107 consecutive games, dating back to 2000, the ultra professional preparing himself to the "enth" degree to play week-in, week-out. It saw him sweep to his 150th premiership game for the club in the preliminary final win over Geelong, in which Black produced a strong second half display.

Black stamped himself as one of the truly elite midfielders of the modern era when he won the game’s most coveted individual honour in 2002, the Brownlow Medal.

Black polled 25 votes to beat Port Adelaide’s Josh Francou (21) and skipper Michael Voss (17), who was equal third with Shane Crawford and Adem Yze.

It was the ultimate reward for the ultimate team player, who has the best peripheral vision and hard ballgetting ability since dual Brownlow Medallist Greg Williams. Black simply keeps on getting the ball in packs and feeding it out to teammates. His wiry but strong frame absorbs plenty of punishment, yet Black is never hurried.

He collected a whopping 583 possessions from 25 games in 2002, and finished runner-up in four media awards for Player of the Year voting. Black did win his second Merrett-Murray Medal, making him the sixth player in history to win back-to-back best and fairests in back-to-back premiership years. He was also the sixth man in the 107-year history of the AFL/VFL to win the Brownlow and club champion award in a premiership year.

Black started and finished the season in sensational style, and invariably produced his best against the best opposition going around. He slaughtered Port Adelaide in the first half of the preliminary final, and collected 22 possessions in the grand final despite the tight tag of Scott Burns.

Black registered his 100th game for the Lions in the grand final, but it passed by almost unnoticed given his once-in-a-lifetime week where he became the third member of the Lions midfield to win a Brownlow alongside Jason Akermanis and Michael Voss. They made more history on grand final day by becoming the first trio of awarded Brownlow Medallists to play in a premiership team together.

Black came under heavy attention in 2003 – not that he hadn’t done in previous years – but still put together a consistent enough season to finish just one vote behind Michael Voss in best and fairest voting.

Unlucky to be overlooked for All-Australian honours, he was outstanding during the finals and topped the season with one of the great grand final performances. He collected 39 possessions – the most by any player in a grand final – and was duly rewarded with the Norm Smith Medal.

While 2001 will always be remembered for the first stunning premiership win, Black’s confirmation of his high standing in the game was one of the highlights. Premiership Player, co-Club Champion, All-Australian – he would have thought it wouldn’t get much better than that, although it did!

Black played every game from the start of the Ansett Cup through to the Grand Final in 2001, along the way signing a new three-year contract which tied him to the club until the end of 2004. He averaged a team-leading 24.6 possessions to go with 6.3 clearances and 5.3 Hard Ball Gets, and led the League in tackles through the home-and-away season.

He was given the honour of being named as the starting ruck-rover in the All-Australian side and finished 5th in the AFLPA's Most Valuable Player voting behind Andrew McLeod, Michael Voss, Ben Cousins and Brett Ratten. He did win a $39,000 car as the Herald Sun Player of the Year, figured in the top 10 in countless other media awards, and should have polled many more votes than his 12 in the Brownlow Medal after he went into the count among the top six fancies with the bookies.

He got his reward, though, at the Lions club championship dinner, where he won the Club Crocodile / Courier-Mail Player of the Year and the club award for ‘Most Attempted Tackles’. Then came the big one when he tied with Voss for the Merrett/Murray Medal.

Black was not outstanding in the Grand Final win, but nonetheless he played his part. He had an absorbing battle with Jason Johnson, with the Bomber getting away from him in the second quarter. Yet Black still was able to respond and his dinky wrong-footed banana kick that hit Alastair Lynch on the lead on the stroke of halftime – after Black won a hotly contested ball – was a special effort and a pivotal moment in the game.

Black had stood tall in the biggest crunch game of the home and away season when he helped steer the Lions to a magnificent Round 10 win over Essendon at the Gabba. His effort against Geelong at Kardinia Park in Round 21 was also one out of the box. He collected 34 possessions, but the way he burrowed under packs and fed out handballs to teammates, and followed up the ball with second and third efforts, was awe-inspiring. Remarkably, taggers made life difficult for Black in the opening month of 2001, but he quickly learnt to shake them. He certainly had a day out against the Kangaroos in Round 2 though, breaking the game open with 14 possessions in the third term alone.

After taking the football world by storm in 1999, he underlined his ability by finishing equal seventh in the club champion voting in 2000 despite missing four games with a broken hand. He actually missed five games in six weeks due to illness as well, yet returned as if he had never been away, teaming superbly with Voss over the last six weeks of the season.

His outstanding vision and ability to feed the ball to teammates from traffic is a gift, and many good judges then were tipping even bigger things for the likeable left-footer if he got a full season out of his body in 2001, which he duly did. Black led the league in the critical centre clearances category on a per games basis in 2000, and was second to Geelong terrier Garry Hocking in hard-ball gets, beating even club champion skipper Voss, a man he very much admires.

Black was recruited from WA after just two senior games with East Fremantle, and was a revelation in his 1998 rookie season with the Lions, and an equally big ‘hit’ on the entire AFL scene in ’99. An All-Australian U18 selection in 1997, he was regarded as a giant bonus when chosen by the Lions at No 31 in the 1997 AFL National Draft and lived right up to expectations, playing nine AFL games in his first League campaign to win the club’s ‘Best First-Year Player’ Award. Instead of suffering `the second-year’ blues’ he became one of the most dangerous midfielders in the game the following year.

Born in Mt Isa, Black was something of nomad in his early years before his family settled in Perth. A product of Corpus Christie College, he played his junior football at suburban Bullcreek, south of Perth.

Chosen in the All-Australian team at the 1997 National U18 carnival after WA lost the grand final to the Victorian Metro side, Black was generally regarded as WA’s best player in his age-group, although narrowly beaten for the WA carnival B&F award.

At the AFL Talent Camp he topped the psychomotor testing, which measures vision, reflexes and decision-making ability, and was tipped to go at No 12 in the Draft by the Melbourne Herald-Sun after as many as 10 clubs had spoken to him pre-draft.

A stand-out junior 800m and 1500m runner, he was a WA State athletics representative from 1992-95 and several times competed at national level. He quickly transformed his excellent endurance qualities into a huge football asset, and combined with good skills on both sides of his body, a fine temperament for one so young, a level-headed approach and an excellent work ethic, he showed everything required to be a top-level AFL player.

Onlookers didn’t need to wait long for Black to stamp his mark on the AFL. In the Lions’ historic Ansett Cup clash with Fremantle in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 1998 he was among the victors’ best playing across the half back line.

He played right through the pre-season in the top side and exceeded all personal expectations when he won first-up selection for the season-opener against the Western Bulldogs. He played the first six games of the year before the inevitable first-year fatigue set in, and he had a spell with the Lion Cubs in the QSFL. Such was his commitment to training that at times the Lions coaching staff had to ask him to cut back his workload in their fight against burn-out.

He was recalled in Round 15 against West Coast but a broken index finger sentenced him to a month on the sideline. Resumed once more in the Cubs on the weekend of Round 19 and was selected to return to the seniors in Round 21 against Richmond, but was forced out on the morning of the match with the flu. Finished on a high note with an excellent Round 22 effort against St Kilda to fend off a late charge from Luke Power for Brisbane’s No.1 rookie award won in recent years by Darryl White (1992), Nathan Buckley (1993), Chris Scott (1994), Craig McRae (1995), Danny Dickfos and Clark Keating (1996) and Daniel Bradshaw (1997).

He was omitted from the Round 2 side in ’99 to make way for Voss’ comeback from a broken leg and missed Round 3 through illness, but thereafter consolidated himself as an automatic senior selection as he built a huge reputation for winning the ball at a dead-ball situation … centre bounces, boundary throw-ins and around-the-ground ruck contests.

He led the Lions in this key category, averaged 20-plus possessions per game and became a handy goal-kicker, picking up three best afield ratings and nine votes in the Brownlow Medal to out-poll all but Jason Akermanis and Voss among his Brisbane teammates.

Twenty possessions and two goals against Geelong in Round 9 earned him a nomination for the Norwich Rising Star Award, and there were plenty of good judges who suggested he should have done better than third in the final vote-count for this $20,000 award. He finished third with 22 votes behind Sydney’s Adam Goodes (33 votes) and Adelaide’s Brett Burton (24).

His wonderful season ended on a sour note when he suffered a fractured eye socket five minutes into the preliminary loss to North Melbourne, but still he finished equal 10th in the Lions B&F award, claimed the Attitude Barometer Award (Full Ground), and, after club officials changed the selection criteria to fall into line with the Rising Star award, he won the Lions Rookie of the Year award for the second year in a row.

Black shares his Mt. Isa birthplace with two other prominent sportsmen – Greg Norman and Pat Rafter. He completed a Sales & Marketing Traineeship with Queensland Rail in 1998 after a similar course at TAFE in Perth in 1997, but shelved further study plans to concentrate on his football. An avid surfer, he can be found in his spare time over summer sampling the waves from the Sunshine Coast to Ballina.

LIONS HIGHLIGHTS
R-Up West Australian U18 B&F 1997, All-Australian U18 1997, 10th Lions B&F 1999, Equal 7th 2000, Club Champion 2001-02, R/Up B&F 2003, Lions Best First-Year Player 1998, Lions Rookie of the Year 1999, Lions Attitude Barometer Award (Full Ground) 1999-2001, 3rd Norwich Rising Star Award 1999, Member Lions’ Ansett Cup Grand Final Side 2001, Herald Sun Player of the Year 2001, Courier Mail Player of the Year 2001-02, All-Australian 2001-02, Australian Rep v Ireland 2001, Premiership Player 2001-0203, Brownlow Medallist 2002, Norm Smith Medallist 2003.
 

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Re: Simon Black

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/sport/matthews-bets-on-black/2007/04/02/1175366144647.html
Matthews bets on Black

Phil Lutton | April 2, 2007 - 4:41PM

Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews says a rejuvenated Simon Black is in career-best form as the side tiptoes through a short preparation for the clash with St Kilda on Thursday night.

The tireless midfielder was the standout for the Lions in their first-up win over the Hawks on Saturday and will be vital for Brisbane's chances at The Gabba against a Saints side stocked with firepower and coming off an impressive 31-point win over Melbourne.

Given the 2002 Brownlow medallist was one of the drivers in Brisbane's hat-trick of premierships, it's a huge call from Matthews to suggest his form is even more potent than in the Lions glory days.

But Matthews says a new leadership role and intense training may have spurred him onto even greater heights.

"Simon's playing as well now as I've ever seen him play. He's relished the leadership role that he's had over the whole summer. I don't know if that's the stimulus for it. Maybe it's because he's as fit as he's ever been. But he's in really good shape. He's ready to play as good as Simon Black can play. He's at his peak," Matthews said.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Simon Black

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/black-to-the-future/2007/04/27/1177459978530.html

Black to the future

Greg Baum | April 28, 2007

SIMON Black admits that there are days when his eyes glaze over as he sits in front of Leigh Matthews' whiteboard and listens to a message he has heard a thousand times before.

But when he sees the rapture on the faces of young teammates after a stirring win, he knows that it is all still worthwhile.

Black spans the eras at Brisbane. He played in the finals every year from his debut in 1999 until 2005, winning three premierships, two best and fairests and the 2002 Brownlow Medal. He also won a Norm Smith Medal. It was winning without end.

Then the era ended, as eras must. The team broke up. Now the Lions are beginning again. The game remains the same, as per Matthews' whiteboard, but the names and faces surrounding Black are new and youthful.

Most are anonymous, as were Voss, Akermanis, Black, Lappin, Brown and Leppitsch once. Now their heirs are out to make their names household, too.

Black marvels at the development of Harding, and Stiller, and Merrett in his new back-line posting. He marvels that Rischitelli was not taken until the fourth round of the draft. "I know how hungry he is, how hard he works," he said.

The Lions turned to kids for a new lease of life, and found it. "There's a really fresh feeling around the place," Black said. "The pre-season was all energy and enthusiasm and I think we took that into our pre-season games and it's helped us at the start of the year."

Even, or especially, the coach was renewed, said Black. "This year, he's really been a bit of a schoolteacher in the way we want to play the game, a lot more than he was in the past," Black said. "He's really put the principles in place. He sits down at the whiteboard and says: 'This is what we want to do. This is the reasons for it'. He's taken us step-by-step out on the training paddock,

"We had a game style that he put in place originally when he got to the club, and he didn't alter it all that much over a six or seven-year period. We were not exactly on autopilot, but not too far away from that. This year, he's actually coaching."

The rejuvenation has had a more immediate effect than foreseen by most. The Lions won a total of 17 games in 2005 and 2006 and suffered some fearful thrashings. This year, Brisbane made the final of the pre-season competition and won its first two games of the regular season.

"A lot of people would have written us off, thinking that even if we do play to our best, we won't win a lot of games," said Black. "But we've proved ourselves that if we play well, work together and do the things we need to do, we're very capable of being a good side. But we aren't kidding ourselves."

Black, himself, is proving ageless. He is 28 and among the half-dozen oldest players at the club. Nonetheless, he remains a prolific ball-getter and last year won his third best-and-fairest award.

The game has grown faster in his time, but that does not concern him because pace was never his metier anyway; he laughs out loud at the very idea. Fortunately, there is still a place in football for instinct, vision and deftness of hand and foot.

Black said it had never crossed his mind to leave when others of the indomitable 01-03 team did. He had been likelier to go home earlier in his career when places in the team were at a premium and Perth and family were far away. Now Brisbane was his city, the Lions his club.

"The more time you spend here, the less attraction you have towards back where you grew up," he said. "You find yourself settled in a city and a footy club, and you feel a part of it. I've been fortunate to have some great success, but to build the club up again is a real challenge."

He remembers the halcyon days affectionately: who would not? "I loved playing in a side that was never out of it," he said. "Even if you were half a dozen goals down in the third quarter, you knew you were a chance. That was fantastic.

"Everyone played for each other. It's true that to be successful, you've got to genuinely enjoy playing with each other. We had that. It was really strong."

But he remembers also that it was never as easy as it appears in retrospect. "You can scratch your head and think: 'How did it fall apart so quickly?'," he said.

"But it's such a tough competition. Any side can beat any other side on a given day. Even when we were winning the premierships, it wasn't as if we were winning every game. I don't think we finished on top after the regular season once. It's always a struggle."

Black is nearing 200 games, the province of the greats, and his motivation is primal. "Just finals footy," he said.

"When you haven't played it for a couple of years, you realise it's what you play for. Having it, and then missing out, you realise how great finals footy is. I love winning a game and seeing the excitement on the young guys' faces."

js28_simonblack.jpg

Simon Black was an integral part of Brisbane's all-conquering days and is helping lead the way for the new generation of Lions players.
Photo: Steve Holland
 
Re: Simon Black

I thought that that pic (^^^) was a painting or something of blacky. Don't know why i just posted that?
 

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Re: Simon Black

To have become a member of the famed 'Fab Four' at the age of 22 was absolutely amazing. Played his 100th game too in the 2001 GF.

He was already so good back then that it was almost unthinkable that he could get much better. That he did. :thumbsu:
 
Re: Simon Black

BigCat2 said:
To have become a member of the famed 'Fab Four' at the age of 22 was absolutely amazing. Played his 100th game too in the 2001 GF.

He was already so good back then that it was almost unthinkable that he could get much better. That he did. :thumbsu:
Click to expand...
You mean the 2002 GF!
 
Re: Simon Black

Link

X-FACTOR: SIMON BLACK
While he may not be one of a kind, he runs close to it and there’s no doubting the incredible influence that Simon Black has bestowed to the Brisbane Lions since making his debut in 1998.

A deserving recipient of the 2002 Brownlow Medal, Black has always been a highly effective and consistent performer for the Lions, and 2006 was no exception as the midfielder finished ninth in the league for disposals, fifth for hardball gets, fourth for contested possessions and topped the clearances tally.

Black played a crucial part in all three of Brisbane’s trio of premierships at the dawn of the millennium, including a monumental 39-disposal effort in the 2003 Grand Final to pilot the destruction of Collingwood in vigorous fashion.

In a midfield that is a mere fraction of the dominance it once was earlier in the decade, Black has yet to flounder in a booming career that is entering its 10th season. Brisbane’s line-up is significantly hurt without his presence.
Click to expand...

blackqh7.jpg


Link

Matthews tips revival

Andrew Hamilton
May 22, 2007 12:00am

Article from:


TRIPLE premiership player, Norm Smith and Brownlow medallist, multiple club champion, All-Australian and bloody good bloke are all terms that sit comfortably alongside the name Simon Black.
Veteran does not.
But as he prepares to play his 200th game for Brisbane, the newly appointed Lions co-captain admits it is something he's going to have to get used to.
"I must admit I have been thinking about it a bit," he said.
"I remember being in Perth growing up and my heroes were Eagles Peter Matera and Chris Mainwairing, and when they played their 200th games I remember thinking, gee that is a lot of footy.
"I'm 28, I don't feel like a veteran yet, but I suppose playing 200 games you're going to be in that category now.
"It is a huge honour and to play it for a club that has been so good to me is something I'll cherish when I'm an old man."
Lions coach Leigh Matthews has never been one to use milestone games as a motivator.
He wonders whether one player's special occasion really inspires others and, if it does, why his players can't perform at that level every week.
But Black's 200th game might be an exception.
"Simon is enormously respected, that combination of respect and affection, I think Simon has got both of those," Matthews said.
"I think if any player is going to generate a let's make sure of it approach, like Shaun Hart did, it would be Simon . . . hopefully it is something that stirs a committed, pressured performance this week."
Black remains one of the very elite players in the competition.
Matthews said Black ranked among the best he had been associated with in football, and said the impression he'd made far exceeded his on-field achievements. "Undoubtedly, but more than that he has been a delight to coach," he said.
"Because he is a delight to deal with in all facets, he can play very good football as well."
Click to expand...

Well done Simon:thumbsu:

'bloody good bloke' is a very accurate description.
Congratulations Blacky for this milestone on Saturday. Truly a benchmark player that many will try and measure against, and few will come close.
Hope for another 200 games out of you.
Posted by: Daniel of Canberra 8:23pm today​
Click to expand...

Good work Daniel:thumbsu:

blackrr1.jpg
 
Re: Simon Black

Well done to Simon Black has been a pleasure to watch, especially when the lions were playing so well during their triple premierships.
 
Re: Simon Black

I hope you can have a mind blowing performance Blacky! Just like You did in the picture down here!

_39386412_black_get_203.jpg
 
Re: Simon Black

Black's focus on 300

Marco Monteverde
May 24, 2007 12:00am
Article from:

SIMON Black's desire to be at the forefront of a Lions revival has the Brisbane co-captain relishing the prospect of playing 300 matches for the triple premiers.

Black, who will clock up game 200 in Saturday's Gabba battle against Collingwood, does not rule out notching another century – body and form permitting – to help the Lions return to their glory days of 2001-03. Athough he has achieved everything in football – three flags, Brownlow and Norm Smith medals, and All-Australian selection – 28-year-old Black said he had some unfinished business before hanging up his boots.

"We've got some really talented young guys, but that's not enough," he said. "We need to work hard and set some good stones in place to be able to get our way back up there again.

"That's a real challenge for us older guys who are here. I'm looking forward to that challenge in the time ahead."

Black said becoming a member of the exclusive 300 club was a definite goal because of his love of football and the Lions.

"I'm enjoying the youthful club that we have these days compared to a year or two ago. It's really vibrant and hopefully we can fight our way up the ladder," he said.

Black said the Lions were still learning and urged them to play "smarter" against Collingwood after last Saturday's 64-point loss to Essendon at Telstra Dome.

The midfielder lamented the lack of another option up front when gun forward Jonathan Brown was often marked by two or three Bombers.

"We just didn't find other paths to goal, to half-forward, to the full-forward line – we just bombed away," he said. "It wasn't smart."

The absence of Chris Johnson because of a foot injury was particularly telling last weekend, with the Lions co-captain having previously helped to negate the season-long unavailability of Daniel Bradshaw (knee).

"When you've got two quality goalkickers up forward for you, sides are more reluctant to drop off and have two or three on one," Black said.

"We are missing him, but hopefully Mitch Clark can find his feet in the next week or two.

"And with Chris Johnson back in the side, hopefully he's a presence up there. When he leads, you draw the ball to him."
Johnson trained well yesterday and is expected to return against the Magpies.

0,,5495614,00.jpg

BURNING ambition . . . Simon Black, who will mark 200 games for the Lions this weekend, wants to help his young team reach the top. Picture: Derek Moore.

From Courier Mail
 
Re: Simon Black

Den Diaries: Simon Black
8:04:00 AM Thu 24 May, 2007
for lions.com.au

I know just about everyone says they don’t think too much about milestone games, but I’ll let you in on a little secret – I’ve been looking forward to this one.

I’m lucky enough to be playing my 200th game on Saturday night against Collingwood, and it’s something I have been conscious of for the last 10-15 games.

It’s a fantastic honour to have got this far, especially as I didn’t think I’d play many games at this level.

There are two games that stick out in my mind from the 199 that I have played to date, and one of those was against Collingwood.

It was the 2003 grand final, where I was lucky enough to be in the ‘zone’ that day. It’s hard to explain, but being ‘in the zone’ probably is the best way to describe it.

Due to so many of our blokes carrying injuries, Shaun Hart and myself had to spend the whole four quarters on the ball, but I think we loved having that responsibility.

Harty picked up 20-odd really good possessions from memory and I managed to get 39, which is the most I’ve ever got in an AFL game.

The other match that stays with me was early in 1999 - my second year at the club – against the eventual premiers the Kangaroos.

We lost by two points, but I managed to get a fair bit of the footy, and that was the turning point for me. It helped me believed that I could play at this level.

I should add that I still have some pretty clear memories of my first game too.

I never thought I would play 50 games, let alone 200, so that first one was very special. It was against the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba and I played on a half-back flank against Todd Curley.

The Bulldogs were really big rivals back in those days and that was the game where Libba made the news for allegedly scratching the face of Stevie Lawrence.

There was nothing like the rivalry in our games against Essendon though, and we had some good ones against them at Docklands in particular.

Another really memorable one was the last home and away game against Port Adelaide in 2002, where the winner got to be minor premiers. It was a massive crowd, huge game, and really tight finish.

At the other end of the scale, the 2004 grand final loss to Port was obviously my biggest disappointment. I don’t think anything else needs to be said other than we lost a grand final.

Some Lions supporters were dirty on the tribunal for giving me a couple of weeks’ suspension from that game because it broke my sequence of more than 100 games in a row, but I can assure you it was almost a blessing in disguise.

Because I wasn’t going to be available until Round 3 I was able to have some shoulder and ankle surgery that summer which I really needed, and helped me in the long run.

There are lots of amazing things than I’ve been fortunate enough to have experienced in my time with the Lions, and there’s one thing that has never changed.

I just love playing this game.

It’s obviously not much fun in the periods when you are not winning, but I honestly love getting out there and playing as much as I did when I was 18.

And I hope that feeling stays with me with a few more years yet.
 
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