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At the end of 2013, players were lining up to get out of Brisbane. Last year, they were lining up to get in. But are the Lions themselves coming or going?
Since playing finals in 2009, they’ve been mired in the bottom six, finishing 13th, 15th, 13th, 12th and 15th. They haven’t been going anywhere, and nothing has been done with conviction. It couldn’t make for more uninspiring reading.
Are they destined for another year down in the cellar, or are they going to start getting better like a fine wine? You’ll find plenty of people argue the former, but there might just be a case for the latter.
Check out the rest of Rosey’s AFL preview series here.
Let’s have a look at a potential best side, even though they’ve already been compromised with long-term injuries to Pearce Hanley and Ryan Harwood. These two have been placed in the emergencies.
B: D.Merrett J.Clarke D.Gardiner
HB: D.Rich M.Maguire J.Adcock
C: D.Zorko D.Beams J.Redden
HF: A.Christensen S.Martin M.Robinson
F: L.Taylor D.McStay J.Green
Foll: M.Leuenberger J.Aish T.Rockliff
Int: S.Mayes M.Paparone B.Staker R.Bewick
Em: R.Harwood P.Hanley L.McGuane
The Lions have brought in a host of midfielder/forwards to complement an area that was already looking pretty well stocked. It’s easy to argue they actually have the best midfield in the competition, especially once Hanley is up and firing.
However, they look weak at either end of the ground after Jonathon Brown’s retirement and Joel Patfull’s defection to Greater Western Sydney.
Brisbane will deliver us a lesson in just how important the midfield is relative to attack and defence.
Can the most elite of midfields create enough chances to allow the small forwards to win games against sides that may be more balanced across the ground? Can the best of midfields literally win games off their own collective boot?
They can certainly do better than many expect. After all, West Coast won a premiership in 2006 with not much more than an elite midfield. Their centre-half back finished third in the Eagles goal-kicking!
Dayne Beams and Tom Rockliff are top-10 players in the competition, although we’ll see if my fellow Roar experts agree when we release our Top 50 in a couple of weeks’ time.
Beams does the hard work inside, is damaging on the outside, and finishes his work on the scoreboard. There’s not a box he doesn’t tick. He’s collected 30 touches or more in half of his matches across the last four seasons, and has kicked multiple goals in about a quarter of them too.
No player averaged more disposals per game last season than Rockliff, and none averaged more tackles either, proving his worth as a two-way player. He may not have the polish of many others, but few match his work-rate and appetite for the ball.
Hanley was arguably Brisbane’s most damaging mid last year, and will be sorely missed. If he was fully fit, I’d have had the Lions sneaking into the finals.
Dayne Zorko is an old-fashioned footballer who knows where to be to get the footy, and makes good decisions to dispose of it when he does. Jack Redden is the master of consistency who will go from second or third banana in the middle for Brisbane, to seventh or eighth. That’s depth.
The left foot of Daniel Rich is one of the most lethal weapons in the game, and he’ll feel like a new recruit alternating between half-back and the middle after only three matches last season.
Of the actual recruits, apart from Beams, Allen Christensen was arguably the brightest young star down at Geelong, and a personal favourite of mine. He’s got skill to burn, drips with class, and when he fully matures as a player and is injury free, watch out.
Mitch Robinson always provided more than what it said on the label at Carlton, and was their barometer for many seasons. With a change of club providing him with the spark he needs to become more consistent, watch for him to set the tone early in games with his hardness, no small amount of skill and nose for a goal.
Of the young players, Lewis Taylor won the NAB Rising Star award last season, and James Aish finished a clear fourth. Sam Mayes is a smooth mover that might be the best of them all. The future looks bright too.
Put all those names together, and that’s half a side’s worth of quality players to be rotating through the middle and flanks at either end of the ground. They’re going to be sharing a lot of football, and creating many scoring opportunities.
The defence isn’t imposing, but it will be led by the experience of Daniel Merrett, Matt Maguire and Jed Adcock to help develop the likes of Darcy Gardiner, Justin Clarke, Mitch Golby and Tom Cutler.
Stef Martin and Matthew Leuenberger will be asked to provide a presence up forward when rotating ruck duties. Luke McGuane has a good pair of hands on him when his confidence is up, and may be used to present hard at the ball while also adding value with defensive pressure.
Daniel McStay, Michael Close and Jonathan Freeman, among others, will be given the chance to learn their craft as key forwards at the highest level. If any of them can make the grade, it will go a long way to helping Brisbane develop as a team.
Don’t underestimate the Lions this year. Opposition teams certainly won’t. Their midfield will rip the weaker sides apart, and put the frighteners up the stronger ones.
Predicted ladder spread: 9th-12th
Predicted finish: 10th
Rosey’s ladder
10th – Brisbane
11th – Adelaide
12th – Collingwood
13th – Greater Western Sydney
14th – West Coast
15th – Carlton
16th – Melbourne
17th – Western Bulldogs
18th – St Kilda