Club pillar and long-time Director Graeme Downie has officially retired from the Brisbane Lions after serving more than 15 years on the Club’s Board.
Mr Downie joined the inaugural Brisbane Bears Board on
He was Club Chairman from February 2000 until February 2006 after being appointed Deputy Chairman in 1999. During his tenure, Mr Downie chaired the Audit & Finance and Football Committees at various times.
He remained as a Director for the last two seasons before announcing his retirement at a Board meeting this week.
Lions Chairman Tony Kelly thanked Graeme for his long-time service and integral shaping of the Brisbane Lions Football Club.
“The facts really speak for themselves here. When Graeme first joined the Board, the Brisbane Bears had 5,400 members, a small turnover of $4.5 million and were the struggling ‘cellar dwellers’ down at the Gold Coast,” Mr Kelly said.
“In recent times the Club has averaged 28,000 members, enjoys a turnover of around $30 million, is one of
“With Graeme’s strong direction and commercial savvy leading the Board, the Club went from strength to strength winning three straight premierships and creating a modern AFL dynasty.
“Graeme had a massive influence on the Club in its formative years and its current success will be his legacy. You’ve got to remember the Club was really on the ropes at one stage and battling for survival in the early nineties.
“Graeme’s business acumen and passion helped navigate the Club to genuine stability and profitability at a critical time in the club’s history. His skills set was one of the key factors in the Bears’ merge with Fitzroy to become the Brisbane Lions back in 1996.”
Mr Downie played 110 senior games for Kedron in the Queensland Australian Football League during the 1960s interrupted by two years National Service, before moving to the Gold Coast where he played another three seasons with Palm Beach-Currumbin in the Gold Coast League.
The diehard Queenslander’s strong affinity with the grassroots level of the sport was also demonstrated with his honorary role as a Director with AFL Queensland from 1999 to 2007.
“The Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club is deeply indebted to Graeme’s massive contributions over a long period of time and he will always hold a special place in the hearts of the Brisbane Lions community,” Mr Kelly said.
