▁win ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁A FL ▁clubs , ▁a ▁deal ▁for ▁a ▁mer ger ▁was ▁reached ▁between ▁Fitz roy ▁and ▁the ▁B ears . ▁The ▁new ▁team ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Br is b ane ▁L ions , ▁based ▁at ▁the ▁Gab ba , ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁song , ▁em blem ▁and ▁j um per ▁all ▁based ▁on ▁Fitz roy ' s . ▁As ▁such , ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁Br is b ane ▁B ears ▁as ▁an ▁individual ▁entity ▁ended ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁season , ▁with ▁ten ▁seasons ▁of ▁competition ▁and ▁the ▁third - place ▁finish ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁as ▁its ▁best ▁performance . ▁ ▁The ▁B ears ' ▁last ▁match ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁entity ▁was ▁a ▁pre lim inary ▁final ▁on ▁Saturday ▁ 2 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁at ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁Cr icket ▁Gr ound ▁against ▁North ▁Melbourne , ▁coinc ident ally ▁the ▁same ▁location ▁and ▁oppon ent ▁as ▁their ▁first ▁match ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁Br is b ane ▁lost ▁by ▁ 3 8 ▁points ▁to ▁North ▁who ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁premi ership . ▁With ▁that ▁loss , ▁the ▁B ears ▁era ▁ended ▁after ▁a ▁short ▁and ▁mostly ▁trouble d ▁existence , ▁and ▁the ▁Br is b ane ▁L ions ▁began . ▁ ▁Club ▁facts ▁ ▁M asc ot ▁ ▁Although ▁Ko al as ▁are ▁not ▁B ears , ▁the ▁B ears ' ▁mas cot ▁was