Victorian Lions Supporters Group

[Rowallan Reds]

The following was posted on the Official Brisbane Lions website on Tuesday 13th October 2009.

Dear Members and Supporters

Thanks very much to everyone who took the time to write or call us last week with their comments on our busy Trade Week. We genuinely appreciate all positive and negative feedback on Club matters and fully support your right to voice your opinion as loyal followers of the mighty Lions.

However, I was pretty disappointed to have my interview comments distorted by The Sunday Mail over the weekend just to create a dramatic headline which bore little or no resemblance to my thoughts or my actual quotes in the body of the article.

As the CEO I care very much what members and fans think of this Club on a daily basis as we rise and fall on your patronage as our customers You are the lifeblood of the Lions and I have certainly read all communications sent directly to me and the Membership Department during Trade Week as I always do for any important issues.

My message to concerned members and supporters is definitely not that your feedback is ‘irrelevant’. My point is that we have a wide range of important factors to consider as the Club's Administration where on-field and off-field success is demanded from us. This includes generating vital sponsorship support and entrusting the Football Department to recruit experienced and quality players that will complement our playing list and help deliver our next premiership.

So from this perspective, I believe we have enjoyed an extremely successful AFL Trade Week signing West Coast utility Brent Staker, Sydney Swans forward Amon Buchanan, Richmond defender Andrew Raines, St Kilda wingman Xavier Clarke and Carlton full-forward and reigning Coleman Medalist Brendan Fevola.

These five new recruits bring plenty of match experience to the Club with an average age of 25.6 years, a total of 574 AFL games, 766 goals and no less than 29 AFL Finals.

So I think Lions members and supporters have much to be excited about for next season from a ‘purist’ footballing perspective with this injection of new blood.

We do understand that player trading can be an emotional issue for members and fans who have their own personal and widely differing viewpoints about outgoing and incoming players formed over years of following our team and this code.

We also acknowledge a cycle exists where fans initially react strongly to player changeovers each year, but steadily grow to ‘adopt’ and get behind their new Lions as they observe them charging through pre-season training, interacting with the wider group and proudly wearing the Lions colours on the field.

However, we trust that you understand that successfully operating a football club sometimes involves making difficult decisions completely free of sentimentality in the best future interests of the Club as a whole.

This is the role of the Senior Coach Michael Voss, Football Manager Graeme Allan and the entire Lions Football Department.

They have engineered a successful 2009 where the team qualified for the Finals for the first time since 2004 which has already involved making many tough decisions.

Not one of our Trade Week recruits will receive any special treatment or favours at the Club and they will be subject to the same high values, discipline and code of conduct as the entire playing list under the strong leadership of the Captain and Senior Coach.

Finally, thanks again for all your support and responses to date. It was heartwarming to see the feedback coming in as it shows how much genuine passion our members and supporters have for the Lions which augers well for our future.

So we now look forward to Season 2010 with even more anticipation. I hope you share this excitement currently sweeping Brisbane and beyond and share our 100% confidence in the Football Department’s direction.

With 87 new people requesting membership information from us on Friday afternoon once the dust had settled on Trade Week – next year is looking distinctly maroon, blue and gold.

Regards and GO LIONS!!

Michael Bowers
Chief Executive OfficerBrisbane Lions AFC