The Brisbane Lions have announced that Dayne Zorko, one of the club’s most successful and highly-credentialed captains, has decided to step down from his role after five years at the helm.
Lions forum discusses Zorko and the new captain >>
Zorko first became interim captain in 2018, and his captaincy was made official before the start of the 2019 season. He went on to lead the team to the finals in his first year as captain, and has continued to guide the Lions to September football every year since.
Zorko has had a storied career with the Lions, playing 230 AFL games and earning the club’s highest honor, the Merrett-Murray Medal, five times. He has also been named in the All Australian team and was part of the All Australian squad. He has led the team in 105 games, making him one of the great Lions captains along with Michael Voss, Jonathan Brown, and Roger Merrett.
Zorko says that stepping down as captain has been something he has been thinking about for some time and feels that the timing is right, given that he is coming towards the end of his career. He says that he will always be there to support the new captain in any way he can. Zorko’s story has always been one of resilience, as he was overlooked by every AFL club in four consecutive drafts before finally getting his call-up to Brisbane in 2011.
Brisbane Lions Senior Coach Chris Fagan says that Zorko leaves an exceptional legacy after holding the captaincy at such a pivotal time in the club’s history. He says that Zorko’s leadership and drive have been key factors in the team’s performance improvement and that he will always be remembered as one of the club’s most influential skippers. The Brisbane Lions will soon vote in their leadership group for the 2023 season and appoint their 12th captain in the coming weeks. Zorko informed the playing group of his decision earlier this week.
