▁time , ▁al beit ▁with ▁a ▁win - loss ▁record ▁of ▁only ▁ 1 0 – 1 2 . ▁The ▁team ▁was ▁elimin ated , ▁but ▁not ▁dis g rac ed , ▁after ▁losing ▁its ▁first ▁ever ▁final ▁to ▁event ual ▁premiers ▁Carl ton ▁by ▁ 1 3 ▁points . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁co aching ▁of ▁former ▁Richmond ▁premi ership ▁player ▁John ▁N ort he y , ▁Br is b ane ▁had ▁an ▁excellent ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁season , ▁finishing ▁third ▁behind ▁Sydney ▁and ▁North ▁Melbourne . ▁They ▁made ▁a ▁good ▁account ▁of ▁themselves ▁in ▁the ▁final s , ▁with ▁two ▁wins ▁at ▁the ▁Gab ba ▁and ▁a ▁loss ▁in ▁the ▁Pre lim inary ▁Final ▁to ▁event ual ▁premiers ▁North ▁Melbourne . ▁Michael ▁V oss ▁also ▁became ▁the ▁only ▁Br is b ane ▁B ears ▁player ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Brown low ▁Medal , ▁sharing ▁the ▁honour ▁with ▁Ess end on ' s ▁James ▁H ird . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁still ▁struggling ▁off - field . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁B ears ' ▁biggest ▁problems ▁was ▁its ▁lack ▁of ▁support ▁( both ▁on ▁and ▁off ▁the ▁field ) ▁in ▁Melbourne , ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁away ▁matches . ▁In ▁mid - 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁struggling ▁Fitz roy ▁Football ▁Club ▁col lapsed ▁due ▁to ▁financial ▁press ures ▁and ▁was ▁seeking ▁to ▁merge ▁its ▁assets ▁with ▁another ▁club . ▁When ▁a ▁mer ger ▁with ▁ ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁North ▁Fitz roy ▁K ang aro os ▁failed ▁to