How did you start supporting the Brisbane Lions?

[PerthBoy86]

Just interested to see how many here were Brisbane Bears fans and how many were Fitzroy Lions fans, or did you start supporting the Lions? Are you from/located in Queensland, Victoria, elsewhere? Do you also follow rugby codes etc much, and what is it like being an AFL fan in Brisbane?

 

[Mooch]

I'm from the UK. We used to get the odd snippet of VFL/AFL on TV but not much in the old days before satellite TV. I watched some bits and pieces in the early 2000s and the 2002 GF was the first game I watched live and loved it - even though I had no clue what was going on Obviously the Lions were dominant at that time so got plenty of coverage. I hadn't really picked them as my team immediately but I purchased an armchair membership in 2004 and then moved to Brisbane in 2005 and upgraded it to a full membership. Have barely missed a game at the Gabba since.

 

[dlanod]

Added an option - gut feel that a lot of us support them because we're Queenslanders and inherently parochial. Myself included.

 

[Tom14]

Went to auskick because there was an australian rules club less than 5 mins walk away from my parents place, and through that got to run out at half time of a Bears game in 96. Was lucky enough to go to the final the bears had later that year against essendon and still remember wanganeen hitting the post from about 15m out.

Bears became the lions the next year and the rest is history.

 

[Elixuh]

First year uni in 09, went to a game with friends. Lions played Melbourne. Back when Liam jurrah

Liam Jurrah

Age

35

Ht

188cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

3.9

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.1

4star

G

2.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

9.8

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

G

2.0

5star

was big news and he was the guy they found playing barefoot footy in the outback. Sat in GA. Was hooked. Watched a few games on TV in 2009 and 2010 and went to 4 live in 2010. Member since 2011. In the 2010 game I sat next to a big Freo fan who wanted to talk to me all game about all the players and rules etc - I had nfi what was going on. I still don’t.

I also remember in 2009 I was down on the Gold Coast at Nerang train station and a hooded man came up to me with a little knife and tried to rob me, a street bandit if you will. I tried to defuse the situation and asked how he likes to spend his spare time and he talked to me about his love of the lions. That’s how I met BRAB.

 

[Elixuh]

Added an option - gut feel that a lot of us support them because we're Queenslanders and inherently parochial. Myself included.

Might need a fourth option to represent the Queensland way - ‘because they’re winning’

 

[dlanod]

Might need a fourth option to represent the Queensland way - ‘because they’re winning’

I feel like that's part and parcel

 

[BangyBangy]

Grew up following Sydney as a kid as my Dad was a singer that used to do gigs at South Melbourne in the late 70's, so the household still followed them when they relocated.

Then we moved to the Gold Coast in the mid 80's. Nerang. Yes.

Not long after, the Bears formed, so as a young tacker I went to their games at Carrara & kinda had two teams that I followed.

It really happened organically that one day I was watching a Bears vs Swans game (probably mid 90's), and was shitty when the Swans scored.

Subconsciously, I had an epiphany and realised how piss weak Sydney were.

I have never looked back.

 

[Gadzorks]

Went to auskick because there was an australian rules club less than 5 mins walk away from my parents place, and through that got to run out at half time of a Bears game in 96. Was lucky enough to go to the final the bears had later that year against essendon and still remember wanganeen hitting the post from about 15m out.

Bears became the lions the next year and the rest is history.

Similar story. Afl ground 500m from our house.

Partner was a runner and I'm a running coach so loved that aspect of the game.

Son did the auskick half time thing in the 2009 final, which was our first live game and have been members ever since.

 

[Gadzorks]

Want to add why we stayed - sure the game is great. But there's more.

I believe families need shared experiences, reasons to get together and enjoy.

Afl had provided exactly that for our extended family. Not just sitting somewhere eating or drinking, but sharing the experience and emotions that are being a footy fan.

Our family is stronger for our Afl membership. Long after we are gone the kids will still attend a few games a year together. Can't ask for more than that.

 

[jonnobackpocket]

Was mad Fitzroy after watching Richard Osborne tear Essendon apart one game in the 80’s.

 

[Paul Mac]

We are in Melbourne and my mum was Fitzroy supporter and my dad is collingwood supporter. I am 53 years of age now and since i was 6 years of age my mum was taking my brother my sister and myself and my cousins to the junction oval watching Fitzroy and been supporting Fitroy/ Brisbane Lions since then. Our kids have always been lions members as well and we all still go to the Footy now with our mum as well. .

 

[ZoBlitz]

Was living in Brisbane and my brother covered the Bears for the Courier Mail during the Walls years which helped make me aware of the Bears and Aussie Rules as a sport as someone who at the time was a Broncos fan and only followed league. In 1997 my brother bought us both a membership and I've been a member ever since.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Grandad had migrated over from Europe and found work in Fitzroy. A co-worker took him under his wing by taking him to a footy match featuring Fitzroy. The family has been Lions ever since.

We went to all the Grand Finals, he had endured heartache for decades to finally see 2001 which brought several tears to his eyes. For me it was amazing but I was too young to experience the bad times which would have made winning more euphoric.

Was nice that he got to see us become good again one more time in 19' & 20' before sadly passing early 21'. I remember after the 20' Prelim loss he said "Don't worry, this lot will win a flag at some point". Maybe this is the year.

 

[Warwick]

blynd_freddie told me to.

 

[SRH17]

Used to follow North. Member since day one when we used to play at that cesspit called Carrara.

 

[Dalions]

Grew up a Rugby League fan until the competition split in 2 during the Super league era which was around the same time of the Fitzroy/Brisbane Lions merger.
The League splitting kinda pissed me off a bit so have followed the Brisbane Lions ever since, so much so that other than Origin (QUEENSLANDER), I havent watched a League game in years and years.

 

[lionsrules]

Born in brisbane but dad was a cats fan and he watched a lot of afl … and so during the 90s being a kid I just jumped on the local team and went from there.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Mine's a bit like BangyBangy... Was brainwashed into following Carlton as a 4yo by my uncle as Dad was more of a rugby man. But my grandmother lived out the back of Tweed Heads and we'd be down visiting her every other weekend. Some of those weekends, we'd call through Carrara on the way home on the Sunday afternoon to watch a Bears game and when they moved up the highway in '93 I started going to a few more games. I flew down to Melbourne to catch the first week of finals in '95 which was the season the Bears caught on fire on the back end of the season. Watched them take it up to Carlton at the G - when I started wanting the Bears to beat the Blues, I knew my allegiances has shifted.

 

[Jivlain]

Dad's a Collingwood fan but I'm a Queenslander so, Bears. And then Lions.

Used to follow league obsessively but drifted away from it because I didn't like Gordon Tallis and then permanently because I truly revile Murdoch. Don't even watch Origin anymore though I'll usually think of it at some point and check who won.

 

[Nunez]

My family are all fanatic Hawthorn supporters. Living on the Gold Coast, the only games we'd go to each year were Brisbane games - mostly against the Hawks. While I cheered the brown and gold on, I was slowly but surely starting to love the spectacle that was the Brisbane Lions. Lynchy was my favourite - watching him beat guys one on one like it was nothing felt akin to wafhits gladiator fight. Then there was Acker - staying back and hoping to see the handstand.

Early 2002, I asked my Dad if I can support the Lions as my #1 team and he said yes - much to the dismay of my brothers. I've never looked back.

At the time, it felt like we'd be on top forever. After experiencing the lows of the last ten years, this year has felt even sweeter. At the Gabba Saturday night felt eerily similar to the 2002 final v Adelaide. Here's hoping for similar results the rest of the series!

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

I used to be a Hawthorn supporter but my sister married the only Serafini who didn't play footy so we all started to go to Fitzroy games when I came down to Uni.

One day, at a Fitzroy/Hawks game my sister noted I was more tense when Fitzroy were defending than when The Hawks were defending.

Thought the merger was the best option at the time so I transferred over

 

[LongLion]

Born in Adelaide as a rabid Glenelg supporter. Moved to Bris at 23 and suffered for years with the lack of footy on TV other than late replays and Saturday games. Bears were born and went to 1 game at Carrarra and vowed to never go back. Bears moved to the gabba and went to every game without being a member in the 1st year. Been a premium member ever since. 30 years at the Gabba, 29 as a member. Go Lions.

 

[rye]

fourth generation lions supporter on mums side

 

[Nathan Barley]

Went for North when I was really little probably because they were winning and had Carey, etc. But Alastair Lynch was my favourite player because I found an Alastair Lynch pog in the base of a drink from Hungry Jack's.

Growing up in Adelaide I copped a lot after the Crows beat North in the GF so to avoid this I stopped supporting them. Made sense to support the team my favourite player played for and they started winning and stuck with them