Marcus Ashcroft

Marcus Ashcroft (born 25 September 1971 in Gold Coast, Queensland) is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who played 318 games for the Brisbane Bears and the Brisbane Lions. He is currently on the coaching panel of the Gold Coast Football Club.

Ashcroft was born on the Gold Coast to a family from Melbourne. As a child he lived in Victoria until the age of 3 when he moved permanently to the Gold Coast with his family. He attended Merrimac State High School throughout his teenage years.

Ashcroft began playing junior football on the Gold Coast for the Surfers Paradise Demons and later moved to the Southport Sharks to complete his junior football. In 1988 he made his senior QAFL debut for Southport as a 16-year-old and kicked 6 goals in his first game. Later that year, Ashcroft would become the only Queenslander to be drafted in 1988 as the Brisbane Bears recruited the 17-year-old through their zone access.

Ashcroft was recruited to join the Brisbane Bears in 1988 when the club was in its darkest period.

He made his debut in Round 9 of that year against North Melbourne at the MCG.

Ashcroft played over 150 consecutive games amongst his 318 career appearances (including 145 goals). He was at various points a key part of the leadership group although he never captained the club.

A three time premiership player with the Brisbane Lions, Ashcroft retired at the end of 2003, fittingly with an AFL premiership medallion.

Following the formation of the Gold Coast Football Club, Ashcroft was appointed an assistant coaching role.