History shows that Voss was able to lead the Lions into the AFL Finals for the first time in six years during his debut season as coach, before a turbulent 2010 - both on and off the field - saw his side slip to 13th.
The fall from grace prompted the Lions to conduct a thorough review, which resulted in an extensive restructuring of the Club’s Football Department.
Now, despite a second consecutive bottom four finish, the Lions seem to be taking a positive step in the right direction.
The team has remained competitive on the field in 2011 despite being dealt their fair share of challenges, and has a promising list of young players who are eager to make an assault on the competition over the coming years.
Voss’ initial appointed as coach of the Club at the end of 2009 was coincidentally the same year that the Lions recruited Daniel Rich, Jack Redden, Todd Banfield, Aaron Cornelius and Tom Rockliff from the AFL National and Pre-Season Drafts.
The 36 year-old has since overseen their AFL development since their arrival as teenagers.
Those players are now the face of the Lions’ future, and it is a testament to Voss’ direction and leadership that the likes of Rich and Rockliff - together with Matthew Leuenberger, Jesse O’Brien, Ryan Harwood, Patrick Karnezis, Jared Polec - have all extended their playing contracts with the Club over the past two months.
Let's not forget that Voss also stood as Captain of the Club during the horror wooden-spoon season of 1998, but helped famously lead the Lions out of it's darkest times and onto an historic three-peat of premierships.
This Saturday night at the SCG, Voss will complete his 66th match as Senior Coach of the Lions which moves him into equal 12th on the Club’s all-time longest-serving coaches list.
His new two year deal should keep him in charge for at least another 44 matches (not including potential Finals), which will see the AFL Hall of Famer become just the fourth coach in Club history (Fitzroy and Bears included) to coach 100 matches.
Only Leigh Matthews (Lions), Robert Walls (Fitzroy and Bears) and Bill Stephen (Fitzroy) have coached 100 matches or more throughout the Club’s combined 125 year VFL/AFL history.
MOST GAMES COACHED (FITZROY/BEARS/LIONS)
1. Leigh Matthews (Lions) - 237 (1999-2008)
2. Roberts Walls (Fitzroy/Bears) - 224 (1981-85, 1991-95)
3. Bill Stephen (Fitzroy) - 214 (1955-57, 1965-70, 1976-80)
4. Fred Hughson (Fitzroy) - 96 (1943-47)
5. Vic Belcher (Fitzroy) - 93 (1922-27)
6. Len Smith (Fitzroy) - 92 (1958-62)
7. Percy Parratt (Fitzroy) - 91 (1913-21)
8. Robert Shaw (Fitzroy) - 86 (1991-94)
9. Grahan Donaldson (Fitzroy) - 85 (1971-74)
10. Gordon Rattray (Fitzroy) - 72 (1928, 1937-39)
11. David Parkin (Fitzroy) - 69 (1986-88)
12. Kevin Rose (Fitzroy) - 66 (1975-77)
13. Michael Voss (Lions) - 65* (2009-)
14. Peter Knights (Bears) - 59 (1987-89)
15. Alan Ruthven (Fitzroy) - 57 (1952-54)
