Simon Black

Simon Black is a former elite Australian rules footballer who transitioned into coaching and media roles after a highly decorated playing career. After representing Western Australia in the 1997 AFL Under-18 Championships and earning All-Australian honors, Simon Black was drafted by the Brisbane Lions with the 31st selection in the 1997 National Draft. He made his senior AFL debut in the first game of the 1998 season and quickly established himself as a key midfielder, earning an AFL Rising Star Nomination in 1999. In 2001, Black began a period of significant individual and team success, being named in the All-Australian Team, winning his first Merrett–Murray Medal as the Brisbane Lions’ best and fairest, and earning the Herald Sun Player of the Year award.

Black was honored with Brisbane Lions Life Membership in 2008 and won the Courier Mail Player of the Year that same year, later adding a third Merrett–Murray Medal in 2006 and the Marcus Ashcroft Medal in 2011. He reached his 300th AFL game milestone in 2012. After playing 322 games, Simon retired from the AFL in 2013 and immediately transitioned into coaching, signing as an assistant coach for the Brisbane Lions where he focused on the team’s forward line and attacking systems. In 2016, he founded the Simon Black Australian Rules Academy, an educational and sports program designed for aspiring AFL players.

Black continues to leverage his extensive experience across his academy and media roles, reinforcing his status as a highly respected figure in Australian sport.