Which club was created in 1996 by the merger of Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears?

The Brisbane Lions were created in 1996 by the merger of Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears.

Fitzroy was one of the VFL’s original clubs in 1896, but financial difficulties eventually made it difficult for the organisation to continue independently in the AFL. The Brisbane Bears had entered the national competition in 1987 and were based in Queensland.

The merger combined Fitzroy’s historical identity with the Brisbane Bears’ existing licence and infrastructure. The new club began AFL competition in 1997 under the name Brisbane Lions, wearing maroon, blue and gold.

The merger is sometimes confused with a simple relocation of Fitzroy. In fact, the Brisbane Bears formed a major part of the new organisation, while Fitzroy’s football operations were incorporated into the merged club. Brisbane later won three consecutive premierships from 2001 to 2003.