Introduction The Lions’ X-factor is one of the League’s most exciting players. A supreme athlete capable of the extraordinary as a junior, Brennan has since matured into a valuable utility capable of playing in any position on the field from ruck to rover. Background • Brennan grew up in Darwin in a predominantly Rugby League household. He represented Northern Territory in Rugby League as a junior before becoming ‘hooked’ on AFL early in his teens. • He Co-Captained the Northern Territory side in the U18 national championships to their first ever Division 2 title and earned U18 All-Australian honours. • He broke records at the 2002 Draft Camp where he was able to showcase his agility and remarkable leap. • The valuable No.5 draft selection in 2002 came to the Lions as part of the Des Headland trade to Fremantle and was then advanced two places when Carlton were stripped of their top picks for salary cap rorting. • Brennan’s outstanding physical attributes made him a standout candidate when it came to the Lions’ now No.3 selection at the 2002 National Draft. 2003 • Brennan burst onto the AFL scene like a comet in the Easter Thursday blockbuster against Collingwood in Round 3 at the Gabba – kicking goals early before moving down back to shut down danger man Chris Tarrant. • His prodigious leap, speed and uncanny ball skills (sometimes performed with only one hand) attracted the attention of the entire football and he was instantly rewarded with a Rising Star nomination. Even Lions Senior Coach Leigh Matthews commented that it was one of the most exciting AFL debuts he had ever witnessed. • He continued to show glimpses of brilliance throughout the early stages of the season which fuelled the hype and the weight of expectation that suddenly surrounded him. • He went on to play a total of seven matches in his debut season before hamstring and groin problems saw him miss the last two months of the year. 2004 • Brennan played nine senior matches in the first half of the season without rediscovering the verve of his first few months at the Club before injuring his shoulder which ultimate required a full reconstruction. • He spent much of his time on the sidelines assisting the Club and the AFLQ by engaging in a series of country visits to places such as Mackay, Roma and northern New South Wales to promote the code and the Club. 2005 • Brennan experienced another season of frustration – missing more than three quarters of the season with recurring injuries. • The high-flying utility began the year in a blaze of glory, starring with four goals in the Lions’ Round 1 win over St Kilda before suffering a quad strain late in the match. • He underwent further setbacks with recurrences of the injury during his rehabilitation which prevented him from playing another senior game until Round 19. 2006 • With a full pre-season under his belt, Brennan managed 17 senior games predominantly across half-forward as his body began to mature and cope with the rigours of football week-in, week-out. • He was particularly prominent in three consecutive matches against Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Fremantle mid-season when he averaged just under 20 disposals and 10 marks and helped ease the load on devastating forward duo Daniel Bradshaw and Jonathan Brown. • However, a season-ending injury to Brown forced greater pressure and attention on Brennan towards the end of the year. He was relegated to the Suncoast Lions for three matches late in the season before earning a recall for the final match of the year. 2007 • Brennan’s role changed significantly in the early parts of the season as Senior Coach Leigh Matthews looked at transforming the exciting forward into a key position defender. • The transition initially proved successful as Brennan’s height, pace and agility enabled him to match up on a variety of opponents. • However his trial as a defender needed to be revisited as the Lions forward line was struggling to kick a winning score. As a result, Brennan was moved forward to assist Jonathan Brown in front of goals. • The enigmatic utility shone in the second half of the season, kicking a career-best 24 goals including a magnificent seven goal haul in the Lions’ 93-point thumping of Collingwood at the MCG. It was the equal highest individual goal tally by a Brisbane Lions player at the MCG. • He played a total of 21 matches and in the process finally reached the elusive 50-game milestone. 2008 • Brennan took a further step forward in his AFL career with the undoubtedly his finest to date. He played in all 22 senior matches for the first time in his career and averaged a career-best 18 disposals. • He played in a variety of positions up forward and down back before proving effective as an on-baller. His size, strength, speed and ability to extract the ball at stoppages was a valuable asset to the team. • Brennan proved a match-winner in his time pinch-hitting as a midfielder and nine times gathered more than 20 disposals. • Together with Co-Captain Luke Power, he helped the Lions over the line in their Round 13 clash with Adelaide at the Gabba with a career-best 31 disposals to go along with 12 marks. • His Round 21 match against the Bulldogs was equally impressive. Despite being held for much of the match, he came to life in the final quarter with 11 disposals, five clearances, three marks and three tackles in the team’s come from behind victory. • He finished in the Club’s top five in no less than 15 statistical categories including disposals, tackles, clearances and hitouts to name a few. • He was duly rewarded on Club Champion night with a career-best 5th placing in the Merrett-Murray Medal. • He was also the only Lions player selected to represent Australia in the International Rules Series against Ireland during the off-season.
2009 • Brennan's start to the 2009 season was delayed when he strained his quad during the team's practice match against Melbourne in Cairns. • He returned in time for the team's Round 4 clash with Collingwood and resumed his role as a genuine 'jack of all trades'. • Following season-ending injuries to ruckmen Jamie Charman and Matthew Leuenberger, Brennan was forced share most of his on-field time between his regular midfield role and back-up ruckman to Mitch Clark. • He missed only one more match - through suspension - for the rest of the season when he uncharacteristically headbutted Port Adelaide's Josh Carr in the Round 14. • He remained a particularly damaging prospect for opposition teams, averaging a career-best 18.4 disposals per game across his 20 senior matches. • One of the key features of Brennan's game in 2009 was his tackling intensity. He finished among the Club's leading tacklers and even broke an AFL record when he laid 16 tackles against Essendon in the Round 19 draw. • He played his 100th career match - and first ever AFL Final - at the Gabba against Carlton in the Elimination Final. • His consistency earned him his second consecutive top ten finish (9th) in the Merrett-Murray Medal voting on Club Champion night.
Lions coach Michael Voss is pleasantly surprised by the availability of Jared Brennan, who will line up against North Melbourne on Saturday nightFriday, June 04, 2010 - 4:54PM
Jared Brennan wants to nail down a midfield spot as he aims to become a leader of the LionsSunday, March 28, 2010 - 11:31AM
Brisbane Lion Jared Brennan says his suspension earlier this year was a blessing in disguiseTuesday, September 01, 2009 - 4:20PM
Jared Brennan's 100th AFL match will be his first finalTuesday, September 01, 2009 - 4:04PM
Michael Voss hopes Lions can push on to finals without key big menMonday, July 20, 2009 - 4:44PM
Jared Brennan speaks to the media about his quad, the ruck and the upcoming match against Essendon.Thursday, April 30, 2009 - 11:08AM
Brisbane Lion Jared Brennan makes a splash in his first AFL game against Collingwood in 2003Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 11:44AM
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