The Victorian Lions Supporters Group is extremely disappointed that once again the media incorrectly reported Brisbane Lions records in relation to Daniel Bradshaw’s magnificent individual effort of 9 goals in the match against Melbourne.
It is our firm view that the Brisbane Lions club was formed on 1st November 1996 and that its first season in the AFL was in 1997. The Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Football Club are separate clubs and therefore we regard the records of both former clubs to have been ‘ruled off’ at the end of that season.
Daniel Bradshaw does not share the Brisbane Lions goal-kicking record with Brad Hardie, who kicked 9 goals Round 10 in 1989 against Carlton at Princes Park for the Brisbane Bears. Daniel Bradshaw is the new record holder for the Brisbane Lions, surpassing two eight goal hauls by Alastair Lynch – against Melbourne in 2002 and West Coast in 2003 – and Jonathan Brown’s eight goals against Essendon in Round 6 of this year.
It is extremely disappointing for Victorian members of the Brisbane Lions, most of whom are former Fitzroy supporters, to read of the inclusion of Brisbane Bears records in Brisbane Lions, yet the club that is supposed to form part of the merger, Fitzroy is completely ignored. If Brad Hardie is to be mentioned, then we fully expect any Fitzroy players who had kicked 9 goals or more in their 100 year history, would also be mentioned. To mention Brad Hardie (9 goals) also means to mention Bob Merrick (12), Jack Moriarty (12), Micky Conlan (10), Richard Osborne (11) and Bernie Quinlan (11) to name but a few Fitzroy greats.
As stated earlier the VLSG recognises the Brisbane Lions as a new club commencing at the start of Season 1997. As such records broken in the future should take into consideration records from 1997 and not 1987 or even 1887. All we ask for is consistency. If Brisbane Bears records are to be reported as part of the Brisbane Lions, then in the spirit and fact of the 1996 merger (of which the ninth anniversary on Monday 4th July has just passed), so too should Fitzroy’s records.
Victorian Lions Supporters Group 