The Brisbane Lions' drafting and trading history has lasted almost as long as the club's existence, with the club first drafting in 1996 and first trading in 1997. The club was founded in 1996 following a merger between the Fitzroy Football Club and the Brisbane Bears. This page does not include any drafts or trades performed by those two clubs. It includes drafts and trades from both the Australian Football League and the AFL Women's.
AFL
1996/97 off-season
Players from the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy Football Club
After the merger between the Bears and Fitzroy, the Brisbane Lions received a number of players from each club. These players formed most of the Lions' inaugural squad.
Upon the Gold Coast Football Club's entry into the AFL, the new club was allowed to sign one uncontracted player from each club in the league, and more with permission from a player's club.
International selection (Ireland — Mayo U18/Brisbane Lions (Gaelic football/Australian rules football))[a]
^Hanley would not normally have been eligible to spend a fourth year as a Category B rookie for Brisbane, but the AFL allowed the Lions to retain him due to persistent injuries for his first two seasons on the list and the death of his brother, Tommy Hanley, which resulted in a break from football, in his third.[4] Confirmation Hanley would remain with the Lions was announced on 27 November 2017 after he was overlooked by the other 17 AFL clubs.[5]
Before the Geelong and North Melbourne Football Clubs' entries into the AFL Women's, the new clubs were allowed to sign a maximum of four players collectively from each club in the league, and more with permission from a player's club.
Before the entries of Gold Coast, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast into the AFL Women's, the new clubs were allowed to sign a maximum of eight players collectively from the Lions (and varying numbers of other players from other clubs).
Before the entries of Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney into the AFL Women's, the new clubs were allowed to sign a maximum of four players collectively from the Lions (and varying numbers of other players from other clubs).
Because of the short preparation time available before their first season in S7, Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney were allowed to sign a maximum of five players collectively from the Lions (and varying numbers of other players from other clubs) for their second seasons. Signings were limited to players who had spent at least three seasons on AFLW lists.
