Lions' Longley link: How a former Dockers fan helped Brisbane's AFL dynasty

Brisbane Lions' quest for a third consecutive AFL premiership may have received a significant boost from an unlikely source: former Fremantle Dockers number one ticketholder Luc Longley.

A three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, Longley knows what it takes to reach the top and stay there. The Fremantle native was the Dockers' number one ticketholder in 2006 and 2007, but a meeting with the Lions in July appears to have been a catalyst for their success.

Lions' journey to the grand final

The Lions are in their fourth consecutive AFL decider, seeking to join the list of all-time great dynasties with three premiership triumphs in a row. Despite a rocky season, including losses to GWS and Carlton, they have overcome obstacles to make it to the final day in September.

Longley's impact on the team

Lions star Cam Rayner credited Longley's meeting with the team in July as a turning point. "The ability he had to share some of that wisdom and talk to us about what he went through, it was awesome," Rayner said. "Just being able to compare and bounce ideas off him and learn things from him about the ability to keep turning up and find that motivation again has held us in good stead."

Rayner said Longley's discussions with the team about maintaining the desire to win, despite already experiencing success, resonated with the players. "The hunger to want to win and to continue to have that success. At the start of the year there were times that wasn't really there in our performances," he said. "We were dropping in and out of games and struggling to really perform to the level that we could."

Longley's message to the team

Longley's message to the team was clear: "If the game's not going to get you up, you're probably playing it for the wrong reasons". Rayner felt this resonated with many of the players.

Brisbane's dynasty built on teamwork

Experienced midfielder Jarrod Berry believed speaking to a champion like Longley, known for his team-first work ethic, was exactly what Brisbane's dynasty has been built on. "He [Longley] was never the big dog, the star, the whatever. He got more satisfaction out of seeing his teammates succeed," Berry said. "Our squad is so talented and we've got so many stars and whatever, but it's not necessarily those guys that are making the club so special."

Berry emphasized the importance of selfless work and teamwork in Brisbane's success. "It's the other guys that are doing all the tough work and hard work and selfless stuff. It was really nice to highlight that. It's all about being generous to your teammates and doing it for them."