Tuesday’s sensational sacking of Michael Voss reiterated sport’s coldest message: no individual is greater than the game.
The club champion was once an untouchable entity, he did as he wanted at the club he essentially owned. This week’s ruthless decision to not renew the triple-premiership winning captain’s contract was bold.
To rid the club’s favourite son showed a brutal, yet welcoming, streak from the Lions’ board, never seen before.
However the manner in which the news was handled was appalling at best.
Fairfax Media broke the story mid-Tuesday afternoon, after Brisbane had planned to inform the public the following day.
Almost every news source in the country reported Voss’ demise before a whimper was heard from the club.
Wednesday’s exiting press conference was one of tremendous grace and heart, letting his passion for Brisbane known to every man and his dog.
In the very same press conference, chairman Angus Johnson made an interesting statement which has flown somewhat under the radar in the subsequent media analysis and speculation.
Johnson said the Lions would make an appointment by the end of next week, surely signalling the club has in fact agreed, at least verbally, to an heir to the Lion king’s throne?
The man on everyone’s lips is Paul Roos, a former Fitzroy great in his own right.
Roos danced from interview to interview on Wednesday, without once shutting the door on a return to the pilot’s seat.
Although there is one (Melbourne) and possibly another (Essendon) coaching role on the table, it appears Brisbane is the only option Roos would seriously entertain.
Funnily enough, the surest indication a move north was possible didn’t elapse today or yesterday, but almost three years ago to the day in an interview with Inside Sport:
“I remember at Fitzroy back in ’86 the club president at the time pulled us all together and said: ‘we’re broke, we’ve either got to merge with someone or go to Brisbane.’
“The player group all voted to go to Brisbane so we could stay together. That’s probably my only regret from my time at Fitzroy: I wished we’d gone at the end because I reckon we would’ve had a really successful period…
“You know, if I ever live in Brisbane or Melbourne again, I’d take my boys to a Brisbane game and say, ‘look, this is my old club.’
“I’ll always say that I’ve got two clubs – one’s Sydney and the other’s the Brisbane Lions.”
The link to Fitzroy becomes even more pertinent, as support from Victoria has wavered in recent years, with a lack of Melbourne-based games.
This year the Lions have played just four matches in Melbourne, with one to come against the Cats in Geelong. Brisbane are contractually obliged to play at least five games in Melbourne due to their existing, albeit diluting, connection to Fitzroy.
Additionally, the iconic Fitzroy Lion has been ditched in favour of the widely criticised ‘Paddlepop Lion’.
Roos has the status to mend burnt bridges off the field, as well as return Brisbane to a powerhouse on it.
The former Sydney coach just has to be appointed, anything less is a catastrophic failure which would see the club lose countless memberships and digress further into irrelevancy.
langou
Roar Guru
All those changes plus getting a decent coach have been necessary in ensuring Freo didn't remain a laughing stock. Shame about not changing the song
Judy Morris
Guest
I don't think Brisbane are worrying about money.They are building a new training facility worth 20 million possibly ready next year.[Information off TV news].Does this mean the sponsors are now running the football clubs?? Paddle pop LION. Once the fans had a say.Is it the AFL who pays for that facility or who.The fans wouldn't be happy at the moment..
Lroy
Guest
I dont want to burst anyone's bubble here.. but the Lions havent won a flag since they lost their salary cap concessions... the Swans still get an extra 800K over everyone else.. despite Perth being Australia's most expensive city. As good as the Swans and Lions have been and are.. take away those concessions.. you dont get a combined 5 flags and 7 grand finals in 11 years methinks.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
I think Roos would be a great asset to footy up here in QLD. His leadership skills, recruiting skills, media skills all bode well for Brisbane in a competitive sports market, granted QLD is a lot less hostile than Sydney. He was a great ambassador for the game in Sydney and he understands a marketplace where AFL is not the top code. His signing would give the Lions a massive boost off the field and would do wonders from a marketing and sponsorship perspective. The Suns are coming for the Lions and he may be the man to keep Brissy competitive and climbing up the ladder at the exact same time the GC is doing it.
Franko
Guest
He could turn out to be another Ross Lyon or Ken Hinkley (who incidently both started their playing careers at Fitzroy)
Simoc
Guest
Mark Williams would be a good coach for Brisbane.
Simoc
Guest
Cockburn was on the agenda for many years; why change the best song ? and so has it worked; Yes, Yes, Yes
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
And probably a quarter the cost. Which should be a big concern for the Lions considering their financial state at the moment.
Simoc
Guest
We get the message.
Franko
Guest
You could always get the poor mans Paul Roos – John Blakey. 100+ games with the Roys, part of the Lions coaching staff that won the 03 flag, assistant at the Swans for the last 6 years (obviously including their flag last year) No profile but I think a strong candidate.
Steve J
Roar Guru
the bare facts are that the Lions home ground is the Gabba where they must play 11 games. Then they have 1 other game in Queensland for the Derby. They need to visit each state (excluding Vic) once each year - SA, NSW and WA - as those states have 2 teams So that leaves you with a total possible games in Melbourne of 7 This year they only came to Melbourne 5 times - they had the 2 other away games against Vic teams in Tassie and the NT. Why? Becuase they don't draw big enough crowds in Melbourne so Hawthorn and Melbourne sold those games to Tassie and NT Money is the driver for most clubs nowadays - look at my club Freo. Changed the jumper, tried to change the song, moving from Freo to Cockburn (even though Fremantle council put up an equal $$ for redevelopment).
Judy Morris
Guest
The reason Victorian Fitzroy Brisbane Lions supporters have been disappointed with the lions is not their losses, or the coach ,or the players,its the fact that they hardly ever play down here,and also unless you are able to get foxtell we never see them on TV.Preference has gone to the Suns and Western Sydney.The AFL has not given a dam about the Victorian supporters. Its really hard to follow a team thats 2 states away when you can't watch them play. Roos is the ONLY new coach I'll accept because of the connection to Fitzroy .Had Fitzroy not joined Brisbane the AFL would have dissolved them completely.The fans didn't count then either.They didn't put any money to keep them alive because they wanted to get less teams here and expand to interstate competition.I'm gutted that Voss has been sacked,and he was Sacked.That team has been so improved lately and there has to be a money grab causing this situation.Whoever takes over this team will have to succeed or Brisbane will lose allot more than a few dollars.Voss had a young team and it takes time to get the right group.This happened before we were successfull in 2001---3.At least they didn't take any short cuts like other teams we know.This game is starting to stink.Not Happy.
langou
Roar Guru
Voss is not really being sacked is he? He had a contract that expired at the end of the year and they have decided that contract will not be renewed. Hardly surprising considering the team he is coaching has been in the bottom third of the ladder for the last four years.
langou
Roar Guru
Voss is not really being sacked is he? He had a contract that expired at the end of the year and they have decided that contract will not be renewed. Hardly surprising considering the team he is coaching has been in the bottom third of the ladder for the last four years.
langou
Roar Guru
Voss is not really being sacked is he? He had a contract that expired at the end of the year and they have decided that contract will not be renewed. Hardly surprising considering the team he is coaching has been in the bottom third of the ladder for the last four years.
Franko
Guest
To follow along that theme, was Paul Roos not an assistant to Rodney Eade, who also played for the Bears for a short time?
Steve J
Roar Guru
Not sure 1 team (Swans) defines a track record :) His assistant coaches have gone on and done well for themselves as well - Ross Lyon and John Longmire. Although who you learnt under does matter so much it would seem - Chris Scott was Mark Harveys assistant, but did inherit the best list in the comp
Avatar
Roar Guru
Roos isn't the man the Brisbane Lions want, he is the man they NEED. Roos has a track record of turning teams around and turning players into great champions. Kirk, Goodes, Hall, Barry etc. all enjoyed the best parts of their careers under him. And they all went on to feature in the 2005 premiership side with the Sydney Swans. Whether he can do the same at Brisbane will remain to be known, but I have no doubt that his legacy will inspire the Lions to a return to where they deserve to be - and that's at the top of the competition. Roos is also a Lions original - he also represented Fitzroy and thus has strong links to the Brisbane Lions.
TomC
Roar Guru
'Brutal yet welcoming streak' 'Apalling at best' Perhaps there are better expressions? These seem a bit contradictory. Maybe just keep your writing simple, Keagan.
Lroy
Guest
Doesnt Roos have some say in this? What if he doesnt want to coach?? Voss had done Ok as coach IMO... there were times when they looked sensational.. they are a bit like North Melbourne.. at their best, can deliver stuff just as good as the top sides.