Stats

Playing Career
1988-1996 – Brisbane Bears

Games
164

Goals
285

Playing Honours
Bears Captain – 1990–96
Bears Leading Goal Kicker – 1993-95
Bears First Life Member
Bears Games Record Holder
Bears All Time Leading Goal Kicker
Queensland State Captain - 1991

Coaching Career
1998 – Brisbane Lions

Games Coached
11

Summary

Through the days of the Brisbane Bears one man stood above all others as the face of the club - Roger Merrett.

A fearless and inspirational leader recruited from Essendon in the prime of his career, he was the son of a one-time Kaniva farmer in western Victoria who became a cornerstone of the base on which the mighty Brisbane Lions were built.

Feared by opponents and revered by teammates alike, he was the first AFL captain to players like Voss, Leppitsch, Lappin, Scott, Akermanis, Hart, White, McRae, Bradshaw and Keating, and had a profound influence on the early days of so many who went on to be stars of the triple premiership era.

He captained the Bears for seven years until his retirement in 1996, and was the club’s all-time games record holder and leading all-time goal-kicker at the time of the Bears/Fitzroy merger.

Having taken the fledgling club to the finals for the first time, he became the Bears’ first Life Member, and was further recognised alongside Fitzroy legend Kevin Murray via the naming of the Merrett-Murray Medal for the Lions club champion.

He later served as caretaker coach of the Brisbane Lions, and will forever be a champion of our Club