Sydney Uni American Football Club

More than just a player, Joe Lim is like having another coach on the field. A sure tackling player with a nose for the ball, this undersized linebacker has been an integral part of the Lions defence for years. Setting the record for most tackles in a game, while leading the tackle count most years, Joe shows that instinct, training and experience means more than being able to bench 90kgs. Which he can’t.

Joe (#50) making a tackle for the Cubs in the 2001 Grand Final

How long have you been playing for?

13 years (Colts + Seniors combined)

What position?

Linebacker (OLB and MLB)

What is your sporting background?

Mainly cricket and soccer growing up – American Football was the first full contact sport I played apart from the occasional one off games of League or Union.

What do you like about the game?

The comradery, the schemes, the fact that you need all 11 guys on the same page for the team to work – and the hits.

What do you find the biggest challenge of the game?

Understanding what every player is doing on every play of the game and breaking down the scheme to understand why we’re doing certain things as a unit (LB, DBs and DL)

Where do you hope to go with the sport?

Nowhere I haven’t already been

Joe was a captain of the 2009 Australian team

Favourite pre game music?

You can go your own way – Fleetwood Mac, Gannam Style – PSY, More than a feeling – Boston

Favourite pre game food?

Toasted sandwich, Ham, salami, mustard, cheese, avocado, rocket on toasted bread.

Favourite Lions memory?

2004 Waratah Bowl victory (although 2012 comes pretty close) and the train wreck that was the 2011 pre-season dinner and drinks (Defence got the boat race back having lost it to Offence in 2010).

Toughest opponent you ever faced as a Lion?

Pirates back when Dave Ward was good. Outlaws in 2002 and 2003

What was the biggest change stepping up to Lions from Cubs?

Tackling 300 pound islanders in the tunnel drill

Favourite opposition to play against?

UTS – never lost to them, ever at any stage of my career and Bondi given the history and rivalry.

Favourite movie? 

Rush Hour, Princess Bride, anything that Thode hasn’t seen yet – pretty much every movie ever released.

Joe receiving his well deserved 2011 League Defensive MVP