In 128 years of combined VFL/AFL history incorporating Fitzroy, the Bears, and the merged Brisbane Lions, Tom Rockliff today became just the 54th person to be named Captain of the Club.

In terms of the Lions post-merger, he is just the ninth person to be granted the honour since 1997 – and only the fourth to hold it solely behind Michael Voss, Jonathan Brown, and his predecessor, Jed Adcock.

Rockliff has long been groomed for the position, having been part of the Club’s official Leadership Group for the past four seasons, over which time he’s benefited from working closely with the likes of Voss, Brown, Adcock, Simon Black, and Justin Leppitsch.

It further enhances his already glowing resume, which already includes 101 senior games, two Club Championships (2011 and 2014), All-Australian selection, and a podium finish in the AFL Rising Star Award.

And at just 24 years of age (he turns 25 next month), Rockliff looks capable of leading the Lions for a number of years throughout what promises to be an exciting period for the Club.

Although it’s unlikely that he’ll challenge Voss’ record of 10 seasons as skipper, his reign might last long enough to see him sit in the same company as some of the most famous names in the Club’s proud history.

BRISBANE LIONS CAPTAINS (1997-2014)
Jed Adcock (2013-14)
Simon Black (2007-08)
Jonathan Brown (2007-13)
Chris Johnson (2007)
Nigel Lappin (2007-08)
Alastair Lynch (1997-2000)
Luke Power (2007-08)
Tom Rockliff (2015-)
Michael Voss (1997-2006)

MOST YEARS AS CLUB CAPTAIN (ALL-TIME)
10 – Michael Voss (1997-2006) Lions
8 – Kevin Murray (1963-64, 1967-72) Fitzroy
7 – Roger Merrett (1990-96) Bears
7 – Jonathan Brown (2007-13) Lions
6 – Jack Worrall (1886-87, 1889-92) Fitzroy
6 – Fred Hughson (1942-47) Fitzroy
6 – Allan Ruthven (1948, 1950-54) Fitzroy
6 – Paul Roos (1988-90, 1992-94) Fitzroy
5 – John Murphy (1973-77) Fitzroy

COMPLETE LIST OF CLUB VFL/AFL CAPTAINS
Abrahams, Owen (1962) Fitzroy
Adams, Bill (1926) Fitzroy
Adcock, Jed (2013-14) Lions
Alexander, Ron (1979-80) Fitzroy
Atkinson, Jim (1924-25) Fitzroy
Black, Simon (2007-08) Lions
Boyd, Brad (1994-96) Fitzroy
Brosnan, Gerald (1903-05) Fitzroy
Brown, Jonathan (2007-13) Lions
Bunton, Haydn (1932, 1936-37) Fitzroy
Cameron, Charles (1935) Fitzroy
Cashman, Jack (1934) Fitzroy
Cleary, Bill (1897) Fitzroy
Cooper, Jack (1912) Fitzroy
Chapman, Charlie (1929) Fitzroy
Curcio, Frank (1938-41) Fitzroy
Davies, Fred (1934) Fitzroy
Gale, Alan (1958-61) Fitzroy
Hayes, John (1966) Fitzroy
Hearn, Maurie (1942) Fitzroy
Holden, George (1917-18) Fitzroy
Hughson, Fred (1943-47) Fitzroy
Jenkins, Ern (1906-07) Fitzroy
Johnson, Chris (2007) Lions
Johnson, Wally (1916, 1919) Fitzroy
Lappin, Nigel (2007-08) Lions
Lethbridge, Chris (1921-22) Fitzroy
Lynch, Alastair (1997-2000) Lions
McSpeerin, Bill (1901-02) Fitzroy
McLennan, Harold (1911) Fitzroy
Merrett, Roger (1990-96) Bears
Merrigan, Harvey (1978) Fitzroy
Mickan, Mark (1987-89) Bears
Murphy, John (1973-77) Fitzroy
Murray, Kevin (1963-64, 1967-72) Fitzroy
Niven, Colin (1930-31) Fitzroy
Osborne, Richard (1991) Fitzroy
Parratt, Percy (1914-15, 1920-21) Fitzroy
Power, Luke (2007-08) Lions
Rattray, Gordon (1923, 1928) Fitzroy
Rendell, Matthew (1985-87) Fitzroy
Rockliff, Tom (2015-) Lions
Rogerson, Ralph (1965-66) Fitzroy
Roos, Paul (1988-90, 1992-94) Fitzroy
Ruthven, Allan (1948, 1950-54) Fitzroy
Sexton, Jack (1932-33) Fitzroy
Sharp, Jim (1908-10) Fitzroy
Sloan, Alec (1898-1900) Fitzroy
Smith, Norm (1949) Fitzroy
Stephen, Bill (1955-57) Fitzroy
Voss, Michael (1997-2006) Lions
Walker, Bill (1913) Fitzroy
Wigraft, Len (1927) Fitzroy
Wilson, Garry (1981-84) Fitzroy