The Fitzroy spirit burned brightly in the period from the late seventies to the early-mid eighties where the team broke a number of club and VFL/AFL records.

1978 saw sponsorship logos appear on club Guernseys for the first time.

Fitzroy defeated Melbourne by 190 points in 1979 to set the record for the greatest winning margin in VFL/AFL history. It still stands today as the biggest ever win. Fitzroy’s final score of 36.22 (238) to Melbourne’s 6.12 (48) was the league’s highest ever score until Geelong bettered it by one point against the Bears in 1992. 

Amazingly in 1980, Fitzroy finished on the bottom of the VFL ladder but kicked more points for the season than top team Geelong. This was the only occurrence of this happening in VFL/AFL history.

In the same year, Garry Wilson won his fifth club best and fairest award.

In 1981, Bernie Quinlan became the club’s sixth Brownlow Medallist in the first ever occasion where two medals were awarded. Quinlan shared the honour with South Melbourne’s Barry Round. Robert Walls was selected as ‘Coach of the Year’.

On 20 August, Bernie Quinlan became the first ever Fitzroy player to kick 100 goals in a season including eight goals in the Qualifying Final - a record in any final by a Fitzroy player. He became the first Fitzroy player to win the John Coleman Medal, kicking a club record 116 goals for the season.

On 25 August 1982, Bernie Quinlan kicked a club record 11 goals against North Melbourne and went on to win another John Coleman Medal.

One of the club’s most memorable matches in recent history was played out in the 1986 Elimination Final against Essendon where Mick Conlan slotted a goal with a rain-soaked ball in the dying minutes to sink the Bombers by a point.

The Brisbane Lions Football Club in conjunction with the Fitzroy-Brisbane Lions Historical Society and the Fitzroy-Brisbane Past Players and Officials Association will host one of the largest reunions of VFL/AFL players ever at the Melbourne Convention Centre on Saturday 11 August 2007 from 7pm.

The Kings of the Pride reunion function will acknowledge all current and past players of this great club.

Every person who has played a senior match with Fitzroy, the Brisbane Bears or the Brisbane Lions has been invited to attend this historic dinner.

Now members and supporters are invited to take a trip down memory lane with some of their all-time favourite players and catch up with some of the current Lions stars.

The event will identify the ten best players from each of the club's main eras as voted by the players themselves. These ten players will be decided from the following categories:

1897 - 1926 (Fitzroy) *two players
1927 - 1956 (Fitzroy) *two players
1957 - 1966 (Fitzroy)
1967 - 1976 (Fitzroy)
1977 - 1986 (Fitzroy)
1987 - 1996 (Fitzroy)
1987 - 1996 (Brisbane Bears)
1997 - 2006 (Brisbane Lions)

Each week the Brisbane Lions are offering club members and supporters an opportunity to win a copy of Jim Main's soon-to-be released Fitzroy book.

To enter this week's draw, simply nominate which Fitzroy player you believe should be the King of the Pride for the period between 1967 and 1976 by emailing their names and your contact details to melbourne@lions.com.au. One entrant will be selected each week as the lucky Fitzroy book winner and they will go into the draw to win a free double pass to the Kings of the Pride reunion event which includes fine foods, beverages and a great night's entertainment.

Last week’s winner was Neil Morris who nominated his best Fitzroy player of the 1967 – 1976 period.

We have listed some of Fitzroy’s most notable players from the 1977 – 1986 era to assist your decision-making:

Bernie Quinlan (g) (b) – 189 games, 576 goals (1978 – 86)
Garry Wilson (g) (bf) (c) – 268 games, 451 goals (1971 – 84)
Mick Conlan – 210 games, 395 goals (1977 – 89)
Matt Rendell (c) (bf) – 177 games, 109 goals (1981 – 91)
Chris Smith – 163 games, 57 goals (1973 – 1982)
Ron Alexander (bf) (c) – 133 games, 30 goals (1976 – 81)
Grant Lawrie – 151 games, 57 goals (1978 – 88)
David McMahon – 219 games, 234 goals (1973 – 84)

(c) = club captain
(bf) = club best and fairest
(g) = leading goalkicker
(b) = brownlow medal

Tickets for the Kings of the Pride reunion are on sale now:

Supporters ticket: $170pp
Supporters table of 10 people: $1,700
Gold ticket - seated at a front table with two current players: $230pp
Gold table of 8 people - plus two current players: $1,840

Please contact the Victorian office on (03) 8850 5600 to book or for more information. Good luck and Go Lions!!!