'Given up': Derm rips into Joe Daniher for repeat poor efforts in Lions' loss
"You want your key forward to be a beast."
Newly-appointed Brisbane Lions vice-captain Dayne Beams is urging his teammates to keep the faith.
Beams says when he arrived at the Gabba from Collingwood at the end of the 2014 AFL season he was aware it would take time for the Lions to become a force in the competition.
After being elevated to a leadership role by coach Justin Leppitsch, the 25-year-old says it’s now part of his responsibility to keep the squad pulling in the same direction.
The Lions haven’t made the finals since 2009 and only just missed the wooden spoon last season.
But Beams is confident success can be found, if a unity can be discovered.
“I came here pretty open-minded … to be honest I looked at the list and thought it would take a little bit of time,” Beams told reporters on Monday.
“The most important thing for us is that we have everyone buy into everything we’re trying to do.
“It only takes one or two to think ‘it’s crap, it’s not worth it’ and it just forces the whole thing to break down.”
Beams primary concern however is a personal one – proving his fitness for the opening round of the season.
The midfielder had season-ending shoulder surgery last year but is confident he’ll be ready when the Lions face West Coast in round one on March 27.
“I’m moving into a bit more contact stuff now and once I’m into that I can enter the main group and start training again, but that’ll probably be a few weeks off yet,” he said.
“I feel stronger in the gym and all the contact stuff I’ve done to date has been pretty good.
“You have to manage these things and be diligent and I’ve been on top of it the last two or three months.”
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
"You want your key forward to be a beast."
Things heating up in Canberra!
We’re taking a look at one player from each team that needs to make a difference this week, starting with the ANZAC Day games.
It is time that the tribunal became more simplistic, closed defence loopholes, and became representative of the game that it is trying to serve.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has defended the AFL Tribunal's controversial decision to overturn star forward Charlie Cameron's one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle, as…
There’s a slight disconnect between the data, the record and the eye test for the Brisbane Lions to start season 2024. This week, Champion…