WHEN Jarrod Berry was asked for a favourite memory from his first 199 games, the Brisbane wingman didn't answer the way many thought he would.
It wasn't the 2024 Grand Final win over Sydney, or the miracle semi-final comeback win over Greater Western Sydney two weeks earlier.
And it wasn't the 2022 semi-final victory over Melbourne, where he tagged Clayton Oliver in the second half to flip the game's momentum and help Brisbane break its MCG hoodoo.
For Berry, his favourite memory came from the round two game of the 2020 season, where the Lions hosted Fremantle in their first game back following the COVID-19 season break.
On that Saturday afternoon in front of a tiny Gabba crowd, then 22-year-old Berry got to play alongside his younger brother, Tom, as part of his debut.
"That's always been the highlight of my career," he said.
"Winning Grand Finals is cool, but to be able to play with your young brother, especially with our family history, is pretty important.
"I've always been thankful for the club to give us that opportunity. Back in the day when we were playing as young fellas in the backyard, you would never have dreamt of it, but to be able to fulfill that was just special."
Berry was one of the first pieces of the Lions' puzzle to help turn themselves around from a club propping up the bottom of the ladder.
Drafted with best mate Hugh McCluggage in 2016 shortly after Chris Fagan was appointed coach, the Horsham product was the first youngsters of the new crop to sign on long-term.
Early in his third season, Berry put pen to paper for five more seasons. He was committed.
He was a beacon for the club's next generation of players, owning a home that regularly housed up to four teammates. McCluggage lived with him. So did Rhys Mathieson, Tom Fullarton, Harry Sharp and Jaxon Prior at various stages. And of course, Tom.
"It's pretty special to be part of the resurgence of the Brisbane Lions, and 200 games … I'm proud of myself, and my family's also very proud of the achievement," he said ahead of his milestone game against Hawthorn on Friday night.
"One word to sum up the club is family. A lot of these guys have been here since the time I arrived, and the change and the resurgence of our club is something that I've always been proud of, and it's not easy to do.
"We were down the bottom and winning just five games (in 2017 and 2018), and then all of a sudden we've played finals eight years in a row.
"That consistency, I think, comes from great characters, and we've got so many great characters in our club. I'm proud to be part of that."
Berry has not only been part of it, he’s been central.
Fagan has often referred to the quietly spoken leader as a the “ultimate team man”.
Drafted as an inside midfielder, he has found a home on the wing, not bothered by statistics or personal accolades and prepared to work back to help his defenders, run without reward on the open side of the ground, or lay a shepherd or tackle when others might not.
Berry is selfless. He ruled himself out of last year’s Grand Final two days before the game despite knowing he’d be given every chance to prove he could recover from a dislocated shoulder suffered the week before.
He didn’t want to let his teammates down.
"I always play my role for the team, which is the most important thing, and that's what I'm continuing to do."