PRIZED Brisbane recruit Brendan Fevola will wear the No.5 guernsey after wearing number 25 during his ten years at Carlton.
Fevola was forced to adopt a new number as 25 at the Lions belongs to untried ruckman Bart McCulloch.
The No.5 has been worn by some of the club's all-time greats including five-time Fitzroy best and fairest winner John Murphy, Brownlow Medallist Bernie Quinlan and dual premiership player Brad Scott.
Brisbane's other acquistions during trade week will also wear new numbers in 2010.
Former Richmond defender Andrew Raines has swapped his No.4 Tigers jumper for the No. 29 guernsey famously worn by Garry Wilson in 268 matches with Fitzroy while Brent Staker has abandoned the number 41 jumper he wore at West Coast for the 14 which used to belong to Lachlan Henderson who was traded to the Blues as a part of the Fevola deal.
Ex-St Kilda utility Xavier Clarke will don the No.15 after wearing No.3 at the Saints while former Sydney premiership player Amon Buchanan will wear the number 32 jumper after wearing No.33 at the Swans.
Callum Bartlett - the Lions' first selection at the 2009 national draft - will wear the no. 13 guernsey which was previously worn by three-time premiership player Martin Pike.
The club's third and fifth round selections at the national draft - Ryan Harwood and Jesse O'Brien - will wear 26 and 34 respectively.
Former St Kilda defender Matt Maguire who was taken with the last live pick in November's draft takes over the 36 vacated by Daniel Bradshaw.
Matt Austin will wear the No. 8 guernsey next season after playing eight matches in number 37.
Bryce Retzlaff, who was taken with pick 84 in the national draft, will wear number 37.
The Lions' recent rookie selections Mitchell Golby (41), Josh Dyson (27), Niall McKeever (40), Claye Beams (43), Sean Yoshiura (45) and Broc McCauley (46) have been allocated high numbers.
BRISBANE has recorded a total financial loss of $603,207 for 2009.
The result includes a $75,000 grant to AFL Queensland to support grassroots community football.
However, despite the loss the Lions are debt-free and with net assets of just under $4 million.
Brisbane's on-field performances which saw them make the finals for the first time since 2004 resulted in a rise in gate receipts but it wasn't enough to cover the drop in corporate revenues due to the global financial crisis and a dip in the club's merchandise sales.
Lions chairman Tony Kelly said this year was always going to be a difficult one financially given the current economic climate.
"Recording a financial loss is always disappointing, yet there would be few major organisations that remained immune to the global market crunch and the worldwide recession," Kelly said.
"Members can be assured the club remains extremely diligent in its cost controls and continues to take active steps to grow revenues."
In some good news for Brisbane, the club's membership numbers went up from 22,737 to 24,873 this year.
The Lions are now aiming to reach the 30,000 member mark in 2010.
Brisbane's home crowds also rose from an average of 28,128 per game last year to 29,172 in 2009.
Meanwhile, the Lions recently revealed a new logo and announced major sponsorship deals with the Bank of Queensland and Conergy for the next three years.
BRISBANE has appointed dual premiership ruckman Beau McDonald and Manny Lynch to its coaching panel.
The appointments mean that the Lions' coaching panel for next season is finalised.
McDonald, who played 91 games and was a member of Brisbane's 2001 and 2002 premiership sides, retired at the end of 2007 due to chronic injuries.
He will be the club's full-time ruck coach in 2010 after taking up the role on a part-time basis this year.
"I really enjoyed my part-time ruck coach role with the club in 2009 so I'm looking forward to working more closely with the players and spending more time on their development," McDonald said.
"I've already been able to develop some good connections with the players and I played a lot of football at this club alongside Michael Voss and (new player development manager) Craig McRae."
"It's certainly an exciting group to be part of in a full-time capacity now."
Lynch - the brother of triple premiership full forward Alistair - joins the club as its leadership and development coach after coaching stints with LaTrobe in the Northern Tasmanian Football League, the Tassie Devils VFL team and the Tassie Mariners' U18 TAC Cup side.
"I'm really excited about this innovative opportunity," Lynch said.
"I have been coaching part-time for around 20 years and now I'm doing it as my full-time job which is great."
"I did my level three coaching course with Michael Voss and Jade Rawlings so there is already a pretty good relationship there."
"After listening to Michael Voss describe where he wants the team to go, I believe we have a similar vision. It was quite inspiring to actually hear him talk about how he wants to develop the group."
DANIEL Bradshaw has quit the Brisbane Lions.
The Lions' all-time leading goalkicker with 496 goals in 222 games rejected a two-year deal on Friday.
The 30-year-old was put up for trade along with midfielder Michael Rischitelli in a bid to secure the services of controversial forward Brendan Fevola but that deal collapsed.
Brisbane eventually landed Fevola in a trade for young key position prospect Lachlan Henderson and an exchange of draft picks.
It is understood Bradshaw was hurt by the club's willingness to offload him after 14 years of service.
Carlton looms as the front runners to snare the dual premiership player as Fevola's departure has given them plenty of room in the salary cap and there is expected to be further room with midfielder Nick Stevens likely to call it quits due to a chronic neck injury.
Bradshaw will decide on Monday whether to enter next month's national draft or the pre-season draft on December 15
BRISBANE has continued the overhaul of its playing list, delisting seven senior players and five rookies.
Defender Joel MacDonald is the most experienced player shown the door, having played 80 games since 2004 including 22 this year.
The other senior players given the axe were Jason Roe (50 games), Scott Harding (48), Rhan Hooper (48), Scott Clouston (2), Kieran King and Matthew Tyler.
Rookies Daniel Dzufer, Pat Garner, Daniel Murray, Adam Spackman and Joel Tippett were informed that their services are no longer required.
The axings come in the wake of the acquistion of Brent Staker, Amon Buchanan, Andrew Raines, Xavier Clarke and Brendan Fevola during trade week, the offloading of midfielder Brad Dalziell and young key position prospect Lachlan Henderson to West Coast and Carlton respectively and the retirement of dual premiership player Tim Notting.
The Lions have indicated that they will use four picks in next month's national draft.
Meanwhile, Irishman Pearce Hanley has been promoted to the senior list.
NEW Brisbane forward Brendan Fevola says he has apologised to everyone affected by his drunken antics at last month's Brownlow Medal count.
Speaking at Wet 'n' Wild on the Gold Coast just hours after he was traded by Carlton to the Lions, Fevola expressed regret for his actions but when questioned over an alleged sexual assault of a female Herald Sun journalist at Crown Casino on the AFL's night of night's he refused to comment further.
"I've apologised to everyone that was in my statement, I apologised to all the people that needed to be apologised to on the night," Fevola said.
"I pretty much made a d--k of myself that night, obviously I had too much to drink, I don't think I missed too many people that night, I've apologised to the AFL, to the club, to my supporters, to the players and other media people who were there and I want to express my deep sorriness again."
"It was absolutely disgusting, my behaviour. I’ve been in trouble a bit over the time and you never really see what’s happened, and to watch those tapes of the Footy Show you just look at it and think ‘I don’t want to be that person’ and you don’t want to be back there again and it was quite embarrassing."
Fevola admitted that it was his own fault that he was offloaded by the Blues.
"The Carlton footy club, obviously, were fed up with everything, and you don't blame them, they had their hands tied, I think we are both pretty sad to see each other go but we come to the Brisbane Lions and it's a fresh start," he said.
"I've left Carlton probably on my own fault, the Carlton footy club has obviously given me a great life and set me up, I've been there for 11 years, I wanted to be a one-club player and play 200 games."
"But through my own fault that’s not going to happen, the footy club stood by me through everything, I owe them a lot, I'm sad that I'm leaving the Carlton footy club."
The 28-year-old believes his new team will be a genuine premiership contender in 2010.
"(The Lions) have traded as if they want to win a flag and I want to win a premiership. I didn’t want to go to a team that wasn’t going to make the eight. I wanted to go to a team that could have a fair crack at winning a premiership and Brisbane is that team and coming here is gong to be great and I’m really looking forward to starting," he said.
Fevola may have won two Coleman Medals and earnt All-Australian honours on three occassions but he is aware that he has plenty to prove at Brisbane.
"I've got to earn a lot of trust especially with Vossy (Brisbane coach Michael Voss), the coaching staff and the players, I'm going into the club as a new recruit, I've just got to be humble and go about my business, hopefully footy does all the talking," he said.
"My last four or five years has been pretty good in footy terms, if I can just do that and not be a dickhead out of the footy field I think everyone will be happy."
Voss said the club's culture will help Fevola thrive.
"I think we have a very healthy culture at our football club that is going to help Brendan maximise his football capabilities," Voss said.
"We have a good group on the rise that he can add value to, not only on the field but off the field ... we are all aware of what's happened before, but I guess he wouldn't be standing beside me if I was concerned."
THE AFL says it is prepared to take action against new Brisbane forward Brendan Fevola who has been accused of sexual assault.
Fevola is alleged to have assaulted a female Herald Sun journalist during his drunken antics at last month's Brownlow Medal count which prompted Carlton to trade the Coleman Medallist.
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the league was taking the claims 'extremely seriously'.
"We have got a respect and responsibility policy towards women that has been in place for five years now and any contraventions of that policy will be viewed very seriously by the AFL," Anderson said.
"We have spoken to the employer of the woman concerned, we have provided support and access to counselling and we have also made it clear that the AFL is ready and willing to act on any breach on what we expect of the way our players should behave towards women."
Fevola has apologised to the woman, who has not made an official complaint, but Anderson said the AFL would be ready to act if she elected to take the matter further.
"We have provided support and indicated we are ready, willing and able to act as soon as she would like to talk to us," he said.
The journalist has been emotionally affected by the incident and has received counselling.
CARLTON has traded wayward spearhead Brendan Fevola to Brisbane.
The Blues offloaded the Coleman Medallist and pick 27 for key position prospect Lachlan Hendenson and the Lions' first-round pick - number 12 overall.
Brisbane had offered Daniel Bradshaw and Michael Rischitelli in a straight swap for Fevola but the deal fell through when Rischitelli rejected a move to Visy Park.
With Fevola, Bradshaw and skipper Jonathan Brown up forward, the Lions will have potentially the most damaging attack in the AFL.
It is understood Fevola has signed a three-year deal with Brisbane worth just over $2 million.
The two clubs have entered into an agreement regarding Fevola's new deal but it is unknown whether the Blues are required to subsidise it.
Fevola, who had two years to run on his contract with Carlton, was entitled to payments in the order of $550,000 next season and up to $800,000 the following year
Trading the 28-year-old sees the Blues get back into the first-round of the national draft after they gave pick 11 to Melbourne for midfielder Brock McLean.
There was no doubting Fevola's talent as he kicked 575 goals in 197 games at Carlton and earned two Coleman Medals but the club finally grew tired of his poor off-field behaviour following his drunken antics at last month's Brownlow Medal count.
Henderson, a key position player that is capable of playing at either end of the ground, was taken with pick eight in the 2007 national draft and played 15 games for the Lions.
ST KILDA has traded Xavier Clarke to Brisbane for pick 60 in next month's national draft.
Clarke did not play any senior football in 2009 due to a serious knee injury.
The 26-year-old said he was looking forward to revitalising his career at the Lions.
"I've been offered a terrific opportunity at Brisbane and I'm really looking forward to further developing my career with the Lions," said Clarke.
"I'd also like to thank all those involved at St Kilda football club for their support over the years and for providing me with the opportunity to play AFL football."
Saints coach Ross Lyon paid tribute to Clarke for his contribution to the club.
“Xavier has been a loyal servant of our club since he was drafted in 2001, not only on the field but he also spearheaded our ‘Saints in the Community’ program,” Lyon said.
“Xavier was always a popular figure at the Saints and we are pleased to see him provided with a great opportunity up north. We wish him all the best at Brisbane.”
Clarke was taken with pick five in the 2001 national draft and played 105 games for St Kilda.
He is the fourth player picked up by Brisbane during trade week, joining Amon Buchanan (Sydney), Brent Staker (West Coast) and Andrew Raines (Richmond).
BRISBANE skipper Jonathan Brown has been named as the Lions' best-and-fairest for a third consecutive year.
Brown polled 57.5 votes to win the Merrett-Murray Medal from star midfielder Simon Black (56.5).
The win sees Brown join legend Kevin Murray as the only two players in the history of both Fitzroy and Brisbane to win a hat-trick of best-and-fairests
The 27-year-old, who played all 24 matches this year, kicked a career-high 85 goals to finish second in the Coleman Medal race to Brendan Fevola and earned All-Australian honours for the second time.
He also finished equal fourth in the Brownlow Medal count with Black on 19 votes.
Ruckman Mitch Clark enjoyed a breakout season in 2009 and finished third in the club champion count with 54 votes.
Vice-captain Luke Power (51.5) was fourth - his seventh consecutive top five finish - while Justin Sherman (45) rounded out the top five.
NAB Rising Star winner Daniel Rich capped off a stellar debut season by finishing sixth with 41.5 votes and also winning the Lions' rookie of the year award.
Merrett-Murray Medal Top 10
1st: Jonathan Brown - 57.5
2nd: Simon Black - 56.5
3rd: Mitch Clark - 54
4th: Luke Power - 51.5
5th: Justin Sherman - 45
6th: Daniel Rich - 41.5
7th: Ashley McGrath - 41
8th: Joel Patfull - 35
9th: Jared Brennan - 31
10th: Josh Drummond - 30
Other award winners
Members' Player of the Year award: Jonathan Brown
Most Professional Player award: Jonathan Brown
Rookie of the Year: Daniel Rich
Life Membership
Jonathan Brown
Mac Tolliday
BRISBANE two-time premiership player Tim Notting has announced that he will retire from AFL football at the end of the club's finals campaign.
Notting is available for selection for Friday night's semi-final clash against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG but is unlikely to be picked.
The 30-year-old who has played 11 matches this season to take his career tally to 207 said he felt the time was right to call it quits.
"I've been thinking about retiring for a while now," Notting said.
"I eventually came to the realisation that I probably didn't have the drive to complete another pre-season."
"I'm incredibly proud to have been a part of this Football Club for the past 13 years and I'm really going to miss being part of it all."
Lions coach Michael Voss said Notting had made an invaluable contribution to the club.
"There are only a small percentage of people who can sustain such longevity in this tough business and it's a credit to 'Possum' that he's been an important part of our Club for well over a decade and 200 plus games," Voss said.
"I have enjoyed the unique pleasure of playing alongside him as well as coaching him and have always admired his ability to maximise his natural talents as a player."
"He's been able to adapt himself to different roles over the years and can be very proud of his achievements and should be congratulated for a wonderful career."
"Tim has also been a popular clubman throughout his time at the Lions and has assisted greatly in helping develop our younger crop of players in recent seasons. He will certainly be missed by the entire playing group."
Notting was a part of Brisbane's 2001 and 2002 premiership sides and is a member of the club's Team of the Decade.
BRISBANE could be bolstered by the return of Josh Drummond, Jed Adcock and Joel Macdonald for Friday night's cut-throat semi-final against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.
Lions coach Michael Voss was optimistic that Drummond who was a late withdrawal from the side that defeated Carlton with a quad injury would be right to play against the Bulldogs.
"At this stage I'm very hopeful he might be alright - much more hopeful than I was last week," Voss said.
Adcock has missed the past eight weeks with a knee injury but is in the selection mix despite being unable to get any game time under his belt last weekend due to the fact that the club's reserves side is not a part of the QAFL finals.
"He's a good chance, trained last week, will train today - so he's another one that will be a very good chance to play," Voss said.
Voss also said he was confident that Macdonald who was also a late withdrawal from the elimination final against the Blues with an ongoing back complaint would be passed fit.
In further news, Simon Black, Daniel Bradshaw and Daniel Merrett who were under injury clouds heading into last weekend's match got through the game unscathed and are certain starters for the clash against the Dogs while skipper Jonathan Brown will also play despite suffering damage to his eye socket in a nasty collision with Carlton's Heath Scotland.
TonyK
Cibbuano
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