Michael Voss

From MedBib.com - Medicine & Nature

Michael Voss (born 7 July 1975) is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions and also a former Australian rules footballer, usually playing midfield for Australian Football League team the Brisbane Lions. At 183cm, Voss was renowned for his hardness at the ball, inspirational leadership and the ability to turn a game by his presence at the contest. Voss is considered one of the finest players of his generation.^[2]

Early life/career

He was born in Traralgon, Victoria and lived as a child in Orbost until the age of 11, when he moved with his family to Beenleigh^[1], south of Brisbane. His younger brother Brett also played for the Brisbane Lions before transferring to St Kilda Football Club to enhance his opportunities to play senior football.

Voss's football skills were self-evident from an early age, kicking 14 goals in a single game for his home state of Queensland in an under-17 representative match in 1992. The following week he debuted for the Brisbane Bears against Fitzroy at Princes Park in Melbourne, the youngest ever player to play a senior game for the club.

Rise to stardom

Although highly skilled, he was also slight, but worked as hard as any veteran in getting the most out of his body. By 1996 was one of the most accomplished players in the competition, and at the end of the season he shared the Brownlow Medal, the game's highest individual honour, with James Hird.

In 1997 after the Bears merged with Fitzroy to form the Brisbane Lions and the retirement of long-term Bears captain Roger Merrett, Voss's leadership abilities were recognised in his promotion to co-captain with teammate Alastair Lynch at the age of just 21. His early form was patchy as he grew into the role, but by 1999 he was being patted on the back as one of the best captains in the AFL.

In 1998 he suffered his first major career setback. Contesting a mark at Subiaco Oval in Perth in a match against Fremantle, he collided with Shane Parker and shattered his leg. The subsequent operation was at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and it was a year before he was fit & back in training to play again. Brisbane finished 16th & with a cooking wooden spoon that year with a 5-17 record.

Premiership and captaincy success

Voss captained the Brisbane Lions in four consecutive AFL Grand Finals, yielding three premierships premierships (2001-2003). His performance in the 2002 grand final against Collingwood was an outstanding example of courage, skill and leadership, only narrowly conceding the Norm Smith Medal to opposing captain Nathan Buckley^[2]

Later career

In early 2004, Voss booted a career best 7 goals against a struggling Adelaide at AAMI Stadium as coach Leigh Matthews looked to play him in the forward line during the latter part of his career. However, a heavy injury toll to the Lions meant that Voss continued his career in the midfield, with Simon Black helping him out & also his new housemate while living in Brisbane.

In 2005, Voss suffered a badly cut hamstring before Round 2 (during a home renovation doing Dulux paint on his walls). Prior to this, Voss had suffered from tendinitis of the knee and saw a doctor to have an operation & solve the problem. This hamstring injury had an impact on his performances, with the four games after the injury yielding a high possession count of only 16. Voss later improved and in Round 21 picked up a 35 possession haul against Port Adelaide.

Soon after the completion of the [[2006 AFL season|2006 season, Voss announced his retirement from the AFL after 289 games and 15 years at the Brisbane Bears/Lions, and 3 premierships to his name & found a job for 2 years with Channel 10 in Brisbane, presenting the sport. In 2006, the problems he suffered with knee problems yet again, saw a doctor and caught problems with traffic in Brisbane on his way to the Gabba in what Voss described as his "very old knees". Voss said farewell in what turned out to be his last game, at the Gabba in Round 22 against St Kilda, gathering 34 possessions and 2 Brownlow Medal votes as a struggling Brisbane Lions team went down by 50 points to finals bound St Kilda who won in Brisbane for the first time in a decade. Despite losing badly. The Lions received a long standing ovation from a sold out home crowd after the game for their premiership efforts and farewell to several other players.

Voss was added to the Brisbane Council when he visited them.

Life after football

Voss joined the Network 10 AFL commentary team in 2007 and was also made a Sports Anchor on Network Ten's 5pm weekday news in Brisbane.

Voss currently lives in Brisbane with wife Donna and their three children, twins Casey (12) and Kayley (18) and youngest daughter Gemma(8).

Coaching career

When announcing his retirement at the end of the 2006 season, there was speculation Voss may soon become a senior coach or join Leigh Matthews in the Brisbane Lions Coaching team. Voss instead joined the Channel 10 Sports crew and commentary team.

Voss coached Australia's AIS Under 17 squad to victory against the South African national Australian rules football team at North West Cricket Stadium in Potchefstroom, South Africa.^[3]

Voss was often mentioned as a candidate to coach the Melbourne Demons after the resignation of Neale Daniher. He was also linked to various other coaching positions, most notably Carlton.^[4]

Voss was seen by many to be the likely inaugural coach of the Gold Coast side, but instead signed a 2 year deal with the West Coast Eagles as an assistant coach and formally pulled himself out of the Gold Coast bid.^[5]

When Leigh Matthews, coach of the Brisbane Lions, resigned at the end of the 2008 season, Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett gave Voss permission to talk with his former club. The Lions later announced Voss as their new senior coach until the end 2011.^[6]

References

External links

• Michael Voss profile on the Official AFL Website of the Brisbane Lions Football Club
• Michael Voss's statistics from AFL Tables