Garry Lyon

DOB: 13 September, 1967
Debut: Round 1, 1986 against Richmond at MCG
Last Game: Round 11, 1999 against Collingwood at MCG

Games: 226
Goals: 426
Career Statistics

Number: 3 1986-1999

Honours
Best and Fairest - 1990, 1994
Captain - 1991 - 1997
Leading Goalkicker - 1994, 1995
Grand Final team - 1988
Night Premiership - 1987, 1989
Best First Year Player - 1986
150 Heroes selection
Team of the Century member
All Australian - 1993, 1994, 1995
Media Association Player of the Year - 1995
Victorian state player - 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 1995
Life Member - 1995

The son of former Hawthorn player Peter, who played 16 games for the Hawks in 1963-1964 - including a Grand Final - Lyon arrived at the Demons in 1984 but had to wait until 1986 to debut. He made an immediate impact in an emerging Demon side and matured into one of the genuine superstars of the AFL in the mid 90's. 26 goals in 20 games that year was a sign of things to come, and the Best First Year Player added another 18 the next year.

Unfortunately for Lyon he broke his leg in the round 22 win over Footscray which put the Demons into the finals for the first time since 1964 and missed the campaign. The footage of him being carried from the field in tears has since become legendary as "Stretcher Vision" on The Footy Show.

Returning for the first round of 1988, Lyon went on to play 22 games for the year. He played a key role in the Elimination Final victory over West Coast, and kicked two of Melbourne's six goals on a miserable Grand Final day.

Rapidly becoming one of the stars of the competition in 1989, Lyon suffered a groin injury in the round 16 clash with Geelong and missed the rest of the season. Several times he seemed likely to return the injury flared again. Before his injury he'd been one of the Brownlow Medal favourites, but his absence hardly affected his chances as he only managed 3 votes anyway.

The next year he was cruelled by injury again. Having played 21 games for the season on route to his first Best and Fairest, Lyon missed the 1990 Semi Final loss against West Coast after being collected by Steve O'Dwyer in a Thursday night training mishap. In a potent forward line during 1991 pressure on the new captain Lyon to be one of his sides spearheads was less and he found himself drifting back and into the midfield more - nevertheless he was once again an important member of the side who made a run to the second week of the finals.

With Darren Bennett and Allen Jakovich contributing less in 1992, Lyon was called back up forward and despite missing seven matches in the middle of the year with a broken thumb he booted 30 goals.

In his 1993 list of the top 50 AFL players, Mike Sheahan ranked Lyon 3rd behind Jason Dunstall and Steven Kernahan. He had also finished 3rd in 1991 behind the same two players. Lyon had made a name for being able to go to either end of the ground effectively. He was agile and strong, but his willingness to throw himself into contests might have contributed to a litany of injuries including a chronic pelvis complaint in 1993.

In 1994, Richmond - led by former Demons Cameron Schwab and John Northey - made a massive offer to try and lure Lyon to Punt Road. He chose to stay with Melbourne, but the payments he received were later cited in the investigation over the Demons salary cap rorts during the era.

After a career best 10 goal haul against Footscray in the 1994 finals series Lyon's career was destroyed by injuries, and he played just 11 games throughout 1996 and 1997. He was forced to undergo back surgery in '97 and played just two games. Offered the chance to coach the team for the second half of the year after Neale Balme was sacked, but declined.

Lyon gave up the captaincy before the start of 1998 after leading the side in 117 matches over seven seasons. He was replaced by Todd Viney. An inspirational return in Round 2 of that year helped the Demons to a shock win over North Melbourne and he went on to play 20 games that season, including finals.

Unlike his teammate Jim Stynes, who retired after the 1998 season, Lyon decided to push on for one more year but didn't play until Round 10 due to persistent injuries. He played his last game in Round 11 that year. He flirted with a move into coaching with Adelaide but ultimately turned down the chance to apply for their senior job. Collingwood also offered him a coaching role and Richmond also attempted to lure him to Punt Road after Jeff Gieschen resigned as senior coach.

Coached Australian in the 2001 International Rules series but rejected any overtures to senior AFL coaching and threw himself into the media where he hosted breakfast on SEN before working as a special commentator on Triple M and hosting of the Sunday Footy Show. At the end of 1999 he was linked to the vacant Richmond job but turned it down. He instead opted to rejoin the Demons coaching staff in 2000, a role which he only occupied for one season.

In 2003 Lyon's home was raided by Australian Federal Police and tax office agents as part of an investigation into payments he received in his final years at the Demons. The club was also raided. A payment of $30,000 to Lyon led to the club being fined $55,000 in an ongoing tax investigation that year but he was cleared of any wrongdoing.

In 2005 after serving as host of the Sunday Footy Show, and co-writing the Specky Magee children's book, he became co-host of the Thursday night Footy Show. Having ruled out applying for the senior coaching role in 2008 after Neale Daniher left, Lyon worked with the sub-committee that appointed Dean Bailey to the top job.

Media
"Blow for Demons: Lyon out 2 more" - The Age 30/08/1989
"Demons welcome back Lyon" - The Age 22/10/1999
"Lyon raided over payments" - The Age 15/05/2003

Links
Wikipedia profile
Stretcher Vision
Media Links