Captain of the Queensland Team of the Century, he is widely regarded as Queensland’s greatest AFL player, and one of the best players in the game in the early 21st century.
Born in Traralgon in eastern Victoria, he spent his early childhood in nearby Orbost but was a Queenslander from age 10, learning his football at Morningside. He won the Division 2 B&F Medal and All-Australian selection at the 1992 Teal Cup carnival after kicking 14 goals in one game – still a carnival record.
He graduated to senior ranks aged 17 years 11 days in 1992 to begin an extraordinary AFL career that spanned 289 games with the Brisbane Bears/Lions until 2006. He became the first Queenslander to win the Brownlow Medal in 1996 and had six top 10 finishes in the medal in 1995-96-2000-01-02-03.
Was an inspirational captain of the Lions’ 2001-02-03 premiership sides, plus the losing 2004 grand final side. Among other highlights were five Bears/Lions B&F awards in 1995-96- 2000-01-03, five All-Australian selections in 1996-99-2001-02-03 (vice-captain 2000, captain 2002-03) and 10 years as club captain from 1997-2006. He won the 2002-03 AFLPA ‘Most Valuable Player Award after being runner-up in 2001, and was voted AFLPA ‘Best Captain’ in 2001-02-03-04 and ‘Most Courageous Player’ in 2001.
He retired at the end of 2006 after representing Australia in the International Rules series in Ireland and served two years as a part-time coach of the AIS/AFL Academy while working in the media. A 1996-2001-02-03 finalist in the Queensland Sports Star of the Year award and AFL Personality of the Year 2006, he was appointed Lions senior for 2009.
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