Garry Lyon Biography

Club legends Chris Grant and Garry Lyon are nominated by Western Bulldogs and Melbourne, respectively, to present the premiership cup to the 2021 premiership-winning team.

Garry Lyon will again be calling football on television in 2018, after quitting Channel Nine for Fox Footy.

The former Melbourne captain hasn't provided expert commentary on television since Nine lost the rights at the end of 2005.

He's also expected to appear on the 24-hour footy channel's feature and panel programming.

"I can’t wait to kick off the 2018 season with my new Fox Footy teammates. I’m looking forward to debating all the latest footy news with Dermott (Brereton) and Jason (Dunstall) and getting a first-hand look at the famous Fox Footy Lab," Lyon said in a statement.

Garry Lyon opens up about his mental health battle in a candid interview following his 12 months out of the spotlight.

Lyon revealed that he shunned treatment when he first experienced difficulties with his mental health.

"My first experience with it was probably eight years ago," he said.

"I sought professional help eight years ago, and I went through this process for about two weeks.

"I didn't pursue it, to my detriment."

The former Melbourne champion was thrust into the headlines when it emerged he was in a relationship with the ex-wife of his best mate Billy Brownless.

Lyon said he hadn't spoken to Brownless since before Christmas 2015.

He confirmed that he remained in a relationship with Nicky Brownless and was continuing to take a small amount of medication, and said his priority now was his three boys.

Lyon apologised for the hurt he had caused to his family and the Brownless family.

"I think it's important publicly that I apologise for the hurt and pain that they've been through," he said.

Garry Lyon will return to television in 2017 as co-host of Footy Classified in what is expected to be a long list of media roles for the Melbourne great following a season-long hiatus.

"I love Footy Classified and have loved doing it in the past and thankfully, I have an opportunity to resume my role with three people I respect and look forward to working alongside again," Lyon said in a statement released by Channel Nine.

Mental health problems force Garry Lyon to stand down from media roles.

Lyon was the subject of a News Corp report, published on Saturday, that claimed he and long-time friend and Footy Show co-presenter Billy Brownless had suffered an irreparable break in their friendship.

While it was not made clear what has caused the rift, the report suggested Lyon was under a large amount of stress due to the situation.

In the wake of the report, Nine issued a statement asking for Lyon's privacy to be respected as he battled his health woes.

"For several months The Footy Show and Footy Classified co-host has been suffering from a serious mental health condition and he will take time out from all media roles to recover," the statement said.

"There is no set time frame as to when he will return to television."

As part of the panel that decided to appoint recently sacked coach Mark Neeld in September 2011, Garry Lyon defends the decision that was made at the time.

"Selecting coaches is the toughest job of all. I won't apologise for the decision ever. That is life. Unfortunately it didn't work," Lyon said.

"I'm really disappointed that it hasn't worked. I thought that Mark ticked all the boxes for an untried coach but there is the great unknown when you get on your own and you sit in the chair and sadly for Mark and for the footy club, because the ramifications are dramatic, it hasn't worked."

Former champion Garry Lyon has completed his six-month rescue mission as stand-in Melbourne football director.

"Garry has pretty much backed out now," Melbourne vice-president Don McLardy said.

"We're in discussions with Greg Healy. I would think by the start of the season we would have someone in place (to fill the role). Greg is an ex-club captain and pretty multi-talented."

Garry Lyon has agreed to return to the Demons in a hands-on role, acting as the liaison between the board and the football department.

"The club has worked hard with positive results off the field but there is still plenty of work to be done and everyone at the club needs to acknowledge that," Lyon said.

"The most important part of a footy club, the football department needs a hand at the moment and that's where I will endeavour to help."

Melbourne great Garry Lyon will engage in a temporary role at his the club in an effort to resolve any issues that may be holding the Demons back.

"Fights within a footy club, where you look someone in the eye and say one thing, walk out the door and gravitate to other people of a similar mindset and start undermining the game, you'll never be any good," Lyon said on Triple M radio.

"Let's be men about this. If you want to be any good at this game at this level, be a man, deal with these issues and if you don't like them, get out because there'll be a queue from here to Bourke St of people wanting to get involved with this great footy club."

Garry Lyon, a close friend of Brendan Fevola, says he supports Carlton's decision to put their key forward up for trade.

'It's a brave move, but if you are a supporter of Carlton, I'd support it, because they are in the best place to make that sort of a call,'' Lyon said.

'I hope Carlton benefit as a stronger unit and I hope Fev benefits with a lesson learnt, and he goes on and plays fantastic footy somewhere else.''

Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon will speak to the AFL about a possible coaching role within the AFL academies network, the pathway to coaching ranks adopted by Michael Voss in 2008 and Nathan Buckley this year.

Melbourne great Garry Lyon believes president Jim Stynes is the "greatest footy story ever".

"He was the worst football player in the competition when he came to Melbourne," Lyon said.

"He couldn't mark, he couldn't kick, he could run.

"He was ugly, pale skin and you reckon Liam Jurrah doesn't speak English that well - well, you should've heard Jimmy when he got here ... and he ended up becoming the best player in the competition."

While he is "1000 per cent" not interested in the current vacancies in AFL coaching ranks, Garry Lyon still has not ruled out becoming a coach one day.

"I'm a footy head. I love footy. It would be wrong to say never. But I don't want people to get the wrong idea. I'm not putting my hand up for a coaching job in the short term, and certainly not from a Melbourne point of view," he said.

Melbourne has signed a 30-year deal for training facilities, ending a situation Gary Lyon describes as a "disgrace".

The Demons' today announced a deal with the City of Casey and their VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions that will see a $2.1 million development of Casey Fields in Cranbourne.

"It's a disgrace and farce that Melbourne's had no home," Lyon said. "Our footballers have been carrying this massive weight around their necks.

"There's time we literally had to beg for a place to train, so you can see how magnificent this has been."