He’s been an excellent mentor to young draftees, a leader of the playing group on and off the field, a driver of off-season training, a social convenor, and a barometer for ‘club comes first’.
And of course, a much loved Premiership player from season 2024.
He’s done it tough. His mother Jedda battled breast cancer for eight years before she passed away in 2013.
So against the Hawks, in a game which can shape the Lions finals campaign, the playing group will be ‘all chips in’ for the 28-year-old milestone man from Horsham via the Ballarat Rebels.
It’s a milestone feast with Ryan Lester playing match 250.
The Berry milestone is a triumph for a shrewd piece of recruiting 10 years ago, when the club, off-loading Pearce Hanley to the Gold Coast Suns, ‘traded up’ to get pick #17 which became the powerful midfielder/utility.
In his bottom-age year Berry had been touted as a top five contender. Even higher. He’d won All-Australian Under-18 selection before injuries in his top-age year pushed him down the pecking order.
But still he captained the Victorian Countryside at the national U18 carnival and at the Draft Combine won the 3km time-trial and the beep test which measures endurance. He was a competitor and a leader. And a bargain choice at #17.
Recently engaged to long-time partner and model Elle Binney after a romantic beach proposal, Berry has repeatedly taken in young draftees new to the club to help their assimilation.
And each year in the period prior to pre-season he’ll organise the group to train privately before a group breakfast. He’s a culture guy. Everything is team.
Berry and close mate Hugh McCluggage, pick #2 in the same draft, arrived at the Lions in the same off-season as coach Fagan.
They debuted together in Fagan’s third game in 2017, and only once since has the club not fielded at least one of them. It was Round 19 2018. They lost by 68 points to West Coast in Perth. They’ve played 188 of Berry’s 199 games together.
Known throughout the club as ‘Bez’ or ‘Bezz’ – it’s different depending on who you ask – he has enjoyed a good run in milestone games, with wins in his 50th, 100th and 150th.
Desperate for another win in 200 but for team reasons only, he’ll be the 24th Brisbane player among 358 all-time to reach 200 games as he plays his 99th game at the Gabba on Friday night.
