Bruce Reville is the Lions’ cult hero but his footy journey started with an inseparable childhood bond

Josh Sharman was Bruce’s best mate when they attended Torbanlea Primary School, 25km from Hervey Bay, with the pair almost inseparable inside and outside the classroom.

So when Bruce’s father, Bruce Sr., had to move away from the region for work reasons, Josh asked his mother Julie and father Lenny if his nine-year-old mate could come to stay.

He did, for three years.

“That’s pretty much how it happened,” Julie Sharman told this masthead during the week.

“Josh pretty much mentioned that Bruce’s dad was going away for work and he had nowhere to go, so he came to live with us.

“It wouldn’t have been easy on Bruce, to come and live with a different family and to try to fit in. Everyone lives with different rules. But he was no trouble at all. We loved having him.”

The Sharmans even upgraded their car to fit Bruce in, treating him the same as their other kids, Josh, Lochie and Madi.

He joined the family from the age of nine until he was 12, when his father returned and he went back to live with him.

In that period of living with the Sharmans, he fell in love with Australian Rules, as he and Josh honed their skills with Burrum Joeys and also in the backyard under Lenny’s watchful eye.

“We used to spend hours every afternoon, kicking the footy back and forward to each other and mucking around,” Josh said. “He (Lenny) taught us how to use both sides of our body.”

Sadly, Lenny Sharman never got the chance to see Bruce realise his AFL dream, having died of cancer in 2019.

But before he passed away, he urged Bruce to never give up on his footy ambitions.

“Lenny really believed Bruce had what it took, which is why he encouraged him and helped him in those early days to be the best he could be, and to never give up,” Julie said.

“Lenny would be so proud of what Bruce has been able to achieve, as we all are.”

Bruce’s journey to being Brisbane’s super sub has been one of extraordinary persistence and resilience against several career knock-backs, and is one of the most heartfelt stories of this year’s grand final.

He was born in Papua New Guinea in 2001, came to Australia and Cairns when he was a kid before moving to Burrum Heads a few years later, where he met Sharman.

He initially balanced rugby league and other sports with Australian Football, but the Sharman influence helped to push him towards the latter.

He came to the attention of the Lions Academy as a teenager, while playing with the Maryborough Bears, even winning the Troy Clarke Scholarship, which paved his pathway in the sport.

At times his father had to drive him four hours each way to and from Brisbane, which was an enormous commitment, and he ultimately chose to move to the city to further his footy career.

He had to work two and sometimes three jobs to pay his way in Brisbane – including as a forklift driver with Bunnings and at a Brisbane abattoir – as he worked to impress on the footy field, including with the Sherwood Magpies and Brisbane’s VFL side.

Reville was signed as a Category B rookie in November 2023, and made his debut with the Lions in round 8 last year, with fans instantly taking a liking to him for his foot skills, dating back to Lenny Sharman’s tutelage, and his tackling pressure, from his rugby league days.

At stages of last year the Gabba crowd started to yell out ‘Brrrruuuuucccee’ every time he went near the ball and it has become the catch-cry in his 24 games leading into Saturday’s grand final.

Reville could not be more grateful for the support he has received from the Sharmans, but also from the Lions in his journey to date.

“To be honest I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be playing AFL footy,” Reville said. “Whether it’s as the sub or starting, I’m just happy to do whatever the team needs me to do. Just having the mindset of being able to come on and impact I think.”

Reville’s 24 games to date have produced 21 wins, a draw and two losses, incredibly at 89.5% winning strike rate.

Injury setbacks cost him the chance to be a part of last year’s Brisbane premiership success, but he has had the favours at the right time this year.

“It’s one of the main factors in why you play footy, you want success. I love the game but team success is what makes it so fun,” he said.

“Seeing the boys get there the last two years and winning it last year, it lit a fire in my belly to get there.

“I had a few injury setbacks at the end of last year which prohibited me from having the chance of being selected. I’m just grateful for the opportunity that my body is right and I’m thereabouts this year.

“(I had a) stress fracture in my leg halfway through the year and then I did my hamstring in one of the VFL finals as well.”

Julie Sharman has been down to Brisbane to watch at least four games this season, and she and Josh caught up with Bruce on the Monday after attending the final round win over Hawthorn.

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She’s so proud of him, as she is of her own kids, with Bruce now a father himself of son Aziah, with his partner Zoe.

“I’m his biggest fan,” Julie said. “Sometimes you watch the footy and you’re not sure who has got it (the ball). But everyone in the crowd knows when Bruce has got it.”

“He has had to work so hard to get to where he is today. We’ll all be cheering for him on Saturday, and we’re so proud of him.”