An 18-year-old Daniel Bradshaw (pictured at right, later on) kicked six goals for Brisbane in only his fifth game.

BRISBANE v GEELONG (at the Gabba)
Round 9
May 25, 1997

The Brisbane Lions’ first hit-out against Geelong was supposed to be a total mismatch. The Lions, struggling to gel as a new side, sat second last on the ladder. Perennial finalist Geelong was second.

Brisbane matched the Cats in the opening term to lead by a point at quarter time, but it all finally came together for the new side in the second quarter as it slammed on eight goals to one.

Gary Ayres’ men hit back with seven of their own in the third, but the damage had been done, with Brisbane causing a major boilover to finish 28-point winners.

In just his fifth game and at 18 years of age, Daniel Bradshaw gave fans a glimpse of his talent with a match-winning six-goal haul, while 18 touches and 2.4 was enough to earn Nigel Lappin the three Brownlow votes.

This was a turning point for the merger side, which would win five of its next six games and eventually qualify for finals.

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SOUTH MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD (at Lake Oval)
Round 4
May 29, 1897

Round four of the new splinter league featured a grand final rematch of the 1896 VFA decider.

Whilst Collingwood came away with the cup that day, the Bloods hit back with an eight-point victory, holding on to win despite a scoreless final quarter.

This was the Magpies’ first loss in the competition, while South Melbourne, having initially struggled to adapt to new rule changes, reclaimed its standing as a league powerhouse.

Collingwood’s Billy Strickland, at the advanced age of 32, no doubt retired shortly after the match and kicked back to reflect on a long life well lived.

However, behavioural awareness was also on the agenda on the day, with “The Argus” reporting that “the only objectionable feature in the match was the conduct of the mob of howling maniacs who call themselves Southern supporters.

As a fact, they support nothing but the conviction that, uncontrolled, they would in time make it impossible for decent people to attend football matches.”