Peter Bird

Recruited from the Geelong Falcons with pick 58 in the 1994 National Draft, Peter Bird was a small, skilful utility who joined Fitzroy during the club's tumultuous final chapters. One of the last Indigenous players to represent the Lions, he showed promise with 12 games in his debut season but added just three more in 1996 as the financially stricken club careered toward its merger with Brisbane. Overlooked for the inaugural Brisbane Lions list, Bird moved to Western Australia and carved out a solid state league career, playing over five seasons with Subiaco before a stint in the SWFL with South Bunbury. His football journey included a bizarre footnote in 2004 when he attempted a WAFL comeback with Peel Thunder; an administrative error regarding his clearance saw Peel stripped of their entire score for his debut match, leaving the club with a rare score of zero for the game. He played two seasons with the Thunder before retiring in 2005.