TEN years ago, Michael Voss walked out of the Gabba in a Brisbane polo for the last time.
In 2013, after five years coaching the club he had captained to three premierships, Voss was unceremoniously sacked.
On Saturday night he returns, hoping to crush the Lions' dreams of a drought-breaking premiership at the helm of Carlton.
Brisbane is the only club Voss has not defeated as a coach.
Alongside his triple premiership mentor Leigh Matthews, Voss is the most revered man in the merged club's history.
And for 20 years – 15 as a player once the Bears moved from the Gold Coast in 1993, and five as a coach - the Gabba was his playground.
So many memories and defining moments happened in his 147 appearances at the ground as a player and 55 as a coach.
Will the Lion King become the slayer on Saturday night?
Gabba debut
Already in the system for 12 months, 17-year-old Voss ran on to the ground for the first time in an AFL match in round three, 1993 when the Brisbane Bears hosted Melbourne. Interestingly, he had two teammates the same age in Justin Leppitsch and Nathan Chapman. Voss had just eight disposals, but the Bears won by two points in front of 12,821 fans and his Gabba career was off and running.
The Bears announce themselves
Voss played a huge part in one of the club's most famous victories in round 16, 1995. Trailing Hawthorn by 45 points at three-quarter time, the Bears stormed to victory with a nine-goal final term that started an unlikely run to their first finals appearance under outgoing coach Robert Walls. Still just 20 years of age, Voss kicked three goals from 24 disposals and was awarded two Brownlow Medal votes.
The Richardson bump
In an incident that would now see him suspended for who knows how long, Voss unleashed a hip and shoulder on Alan Richardson in 1996 that totally ironed out the Magpie on his 31st birthday. The hit was so brutal it forced boundary rider Robert DiPierdomenico to spring to his feet, while rugby league legend Wally Lewis nonchalantly looked on beside him.
The comeback
Round three in 1999 was not so much a remarkable memory for Voss, but it signified his home ground comeback from a gruesome broken leg suffered against Fremantle the previous year. Playing with a steel rod in his leg, Voss gathered 17 disposals in a match the Lions lost to Port Adelaide by 23 points. It started a season the 1996 Brownlow medallist would earn selection in the All-Australian team – a feat Voss holds close to his heart after playing the year in so much pain he was barely able to train.
The bomb
When considering the longest goals in AFL history, Voss' set shot against Collingwood in round nine, 2000, has to be considered. Brisbane's captain was awarded a free kick on the boundary side of the centre square's edge. After deciding there was no other option, Voss went back and unleashed a 70m drop punt that sailed not only over the goal umpire, but into the crowd.
Into his first Grand Final
After missing out on preliminary finals in 1996 and 1999, there was no chance Voss was letting his chance in 2001 slip. Playing Richmond at the Gabba, the skipper set up a goal for Brad Scott inside 30 seconds and kicked three of his own in the first half as the home team stormed to an emphatic victory. Seven days later, Voss would lead the Lions to the first premiership in the merged club's history.
The 2009 elimination final
Undoubtedly his greatest moment as a coach until the past fortnight came, coincidentally, against Carlton in 2009. The Blues led by 30 points early in the final quarter and looked like advancing. That was before Brisbane kicked the final six goals of the match, the last two by Daniel Bradshaw, to storm home seven-point victors.
