Sydney Uni American Football Club

Anderson checks his place in Lions history

With typical heart and hussle,  middle linebacker Joe Lim chased down the UTS quarterback in the Waratah Bowl re-match in Week 3 to record his 27th career sack and become the Lions All-time sack leader.

The former record holder, Robert Anderson, was at the training following the game to hand over the Career Sacks record plaque to Joe Lim and congratulate the new holder.  Anderson had been a cornerstone of the Lions’ dominating 4-3 defences in the 80s, including being a member of the top-ranked Lions defence of 1986 which allowed only 19 points in 12 games.  Anderson had held the career sacks record since a game against the Blacktown Vikings on 28 June 1987, a game in which he had also set the current game record of 5 sacks.  Anderson extended the All-time record over a stellar career spanning 9 seasons and it has taken 23 years for another player to overtake his mark.

It is, perhaps, a sign of the times that Anderson has been caught by a linebacker, with the current trend in defence being towards 3 man fronts and linebacker pass pressure.  Anderson is still 11 sacks ahead of the closest lineman on the list. 

But this is not to take away anything from the achievement of Joe Lim, who now adds the Career Sacks record to the Career Tackles record he picked up last season.  Lim has been at the centre of the Lions defence during their record championship run and it is only fitting that he now finds himself as the new All-time sack leader.

Lim receives the record plaque from Anderson