For fans of lower-ranked teams, often the best part of the year is the off-season, where every team is even and seeds of hope can be sewn.
We get a glimpse of the young players we might be able to cling onto as a positive sign when the team is mired at the bottom of the ladder, and we can dare to dream that, just maybe, this season will be different.
For most clubs, this illusion is shattered as soon as the on-field actions begin; however, there’s one team for whom this year, the off-season hype might just turn out to be well-founded.
Brisbane have come a long way since their ‘annus horribilis’ in 2013. After losing four former first-round draftees that year (and Elliott Yeo, who was taken with pick 30, but in hindsight obviously should have been taken much earlier), Brisbane have turned around their fortunes and become a ‘destination club’.
This started two years ago when Charlie Cameron and Allen Christensen both joined the club, but really came to pass at the end of 2017, when the club lured champion Hawk Luke Hodge out of retirement. Perhaps the biggest vote of confidence in the club has come this year, as arguably one of the top 10 midfielders in the competition in Lachie Neale chose Brisbane over returning home to his native South Australia.
Former Bulldog defender Marcus Adams, too, eschewed a return to Western Australia in favour of plying his trade at Brisbane.
Marcus Adams and Lachie Neale (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
This off-season, the only losses suffered were for ostensibly personal reasons, with Sam Mayes released to return home to South Australia seeking greater opportunities, and former captain Dayne Beams heading back to Collingwood. Losing Beams is obviously a big blow to Brisbane’s hopes this year, and means that, rather than be the icing on top of an already potent midfield group, Neale will instead need to replace Beams’ effort.
In seasons’ past, losing Beams would have been utterly devastating for Brisbane – but not this year. Beams’ request to leave apparently came right at the end of trade period, leaving Brisbane little time to work out what to do.
That they managed to secure two first-round picks from Collingwood, and then picked up prolific Gold Coast midfielder Jarrod Lyons as a delisted free agent, speaks volumes to the club’s maturity.
Another sign of Brisbane’s appeal is the fact that they’ve managed to re-sign most of the draftees taken over the past two years to contract extensions, including prized quartet Cam Rayner, Hugh McLuggage, Jarrod Berry, and Alex Witherden, who look likely to be A-grade players over the next 10 years.
So, what’s changed?
On-field, Chris Fagan has obviously made a huge difference as coach. He seems to have instilled a greater sense of ‘collectiveness’ in his players, as well as the confidence to take on a more attacking game style.
Brisbane Lions General Manager David Noble (left) and Chris Fagan (right). (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Crucially, he’s also brought some of the IP he picked up at the Alastair Clarkson Coaching School (aka Hawthorn); identifying Hodge as a marshal and director down back was a key example of this.
Fagan also seems to be backing in the young players in his group. With a young list, it’s a fine balance between giving young players too much responsibility, or not enough, but Fagan has done this very well.
He’s put his trust in Witherden, Harris Andrews, and Dan McStay down back, and has also given McLuggage, Berry, and Rayner ample opportunity to show their wares. Adding Neale and Lyons to the midfield will certainly provide more support and should continue to allow the younger players to flourish.
I think it’s a bit too early on the Brisbane journey to tell whether they’ve been drafting and acquiring players who can play to a certain game style, or whether the game style has been engineered around the players they have. I suspect it’s a bit of both, and I think it should become clearer this year as their game style becomes more settled.
Off-field, Brisbane CEO Greg Swann has spoken about greater focus placed on player welfare, including creating a supportive environment where players moving interstate can feel settled and comfortable. Clearly, this was lacking in the past, so the club is reaping the rewards now of greater investment in this area.
Brisbane still has some way to go in its development, but, for once, we should believe the hype. They have the makings of an excellent team and should be aiming to finish anywhere from 8th-10th this year.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Turning their home ground into a fortress you would think will be the start of a finals push when it happens.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Nowadays Matti, they make one slip up and its already trending on Twitter before they get their pants back on.
User
Roar Rookie
I must be old cause why would anyone want their life especially with a kid involved lying bare and naked for the world to see.... Either way I stand by my comments above that zorko doesn't come across as a captain and will unlikely be so beyond next year. He's more like Mel Gibson in Gallipoli not Mel Gibson in Braveheart.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Mike Sheahan said if he was still doing his top 50 for the 2018 season, Beams would be top ten. He is elite and if he stays fit is totally capable of winning a Brownlow medal. In fact, he might be worth a small wager for it in 2019.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Maybe he just needs to direct his passion in the right place.
Ravi
Roar Rookie
no :-)
Alicesprings
Guest
The lions are a sneaky chance to make finals next year. Dead set lock for 2020.
Jorge of Brisvegas
Roar Rookie
Maddy, I appreciate you doing the trade review for the Lions but as @Billy Mumphrey mentioned earlier, some pretty sloppy research (remembering?). If people are going to discuss Brisbane’s nadir, but only use the go home five, it is a shallow analysis. Brisbane have lost four players in five years to concussion related retirements. Although Jack Frost was a fringe player in the last few years at Collingwood and Brisbane, he used to be a regular in the starting 22 at the Magpies. The fourteen!! concussions he suffered during his career, may have contributed to his fringe status. Jono Brown (2014), Matt McGuire (2015) & probably most poignantly Justin Clark (2016) , all were concussion retirees. Although Brown and McGuire were at the end of their careers, Clark had possibly a decade left in the game. Losing four key position players, especially Clark, has definitely contributed to Brisbane’s struggles pre 2018. If you add Josh Schache’s well published struggles after being drafted at number 2, three years ago, Brisbane has been treading water(drowning actually) in the big man department. 2018 was the first time in a long time that the Lions have seen their talls step up and begin to win their positions around the ground. With Hipwood, Gardiner, Walker and especially Andrews not only improving but at times dominating, Stef Martin was not the only man on the field above 6 ft 3 who was dangerous and performing for the Lions consistently. The talk with the Lions has almost solely been midfield centric but one of the key reasons Lions supporters can look forward optimistically is their big men. With the addition of Marcus “the Beast” Adams providing real competition for Brisbane’s big back three, that gives the defence some real grunt. With all but Gardiner being handy up forward as a pinch hitter, to support Eric, Oscar ‘the big O’ and Dan McStay( who has been playing forward all season btw Maddy, not in defence as the article stated), Brisbane is starting to have the look of winning positions all over the park. As the last three premiers have shown, it is not wise to put too low ceilings on teams potential but I think finals in 2019 is a bit early. 2018 was very injury friendly(for a change, except Charlie C.) and Brisbane does not have the depth to cover injuries well yet. Beams is a much bigger loss than his stats on paper and will put the Lions development back at least half a season. He was THAT good and THAT influential. Lachie Neale may be in the top ten mid fielders for stats but Beams was in top 5 players in league for how they influenced their teams (up there with Fyfe, Franklin, Green and Gawn). I am predicting 9 th to 13th as a mid range with injuries, close games and cohesiveness the key factors. If the first two go well by the bye the this ceiling my have to shift, but unlikely. The season looks all puns intended .... ready to ROAR!
Adam
Guest
Don't you need to wait until every teams list are full before making predictions
Paul D
Roar Guru
I'm a results based person Pete - if he is able to lead the side and it doesn't impact his form on the field I don't care where he dips his wick but if it's a distraction, he should step down.
David C
Guest
Charlie Cameron only joined 1 year ago. Christensen joined during the 2014 trade period.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
11-11 would have you at least in contention for the eight deep into the season Dingo which makes for a more enjoyable year. Even if you are left needing to win the last three games to make the eight it keeps you alive to round 20 minimum. With so many sides battling it out around the same mark in 2019 I could easily see a group of 7-8 sides battling for 6th, 7th and 8th deep into the season.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I think this is much more realistic view of where the Lions are @. The talk of Finals is quite laughable. We won 5 games last year. If we get to 11 wins that's huge. Overall I think we've made some serious improvements in the off season. That's even taking Beams who's potential top 10 in the League Player leaving. Getting Lyons as a Delisted Free Agent is awesome! We need the in and under clearance player! For what ever reason Stuey Dew doesn't want that, but we take it in a heart beat. I would of liked us to have gone hard as Townsend from Richmond too. I think our Forward line just lacks that little bit aggressive toughness. The eel is a gun, but he's still quite easily bullied at the moment. Look forward to a year where we might win as many as we lose. That's exciting. I just wish the AFL would fixture us twice in NSW so I can maybe get more than my token one game a season.....
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
People split up every day. What's he actually done wrong? Cheated on his g/f? Does that make him unworthy to be captain of a footy side?
Slane
Guest
The Brisbane games I saw last season when they weren't playing against my Tigers were pretty decent. They seemed to have a harder edge and were dangerous with the ball in hand. I'm predicting 8 wins. With double-ups against the Suns, Bulldogs and Brisbane's Bunnies (The Hawks) I would even go so far as to say anything less than 8 wins would be failed season.
User
Roar Rookie
Regardless of this story that isn't really a story regarding zorko I've never thought of him as a natural captain and only circumstances lead to him taking the role, alot like when Judd was named wce captain. No doubt Neale will be in leadership group for next year and imo has future captain written all over him, he's the right age to take the reigns in 2020 as sole captain imo
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
I could see the Lions splitting the season almost. That is, going 11-11 with a percentage roughly 100. This would give them a great base for finals in 2020. It will come down to how well they go with injuries and how they go with close games. I would say 9-13th position in a tight season.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Stef Martin would be my choice, without knowing much about the personalities at the club, if they were looking for a replacement for a year or two. I imagine the playing group will probably stick by Zorko as leader through this, it won't be remembered next week and barely made a ripple here in Brisbane. He is a pretty abrasive bloke though from all accounts, there was that long-running feud with Rockliff that rumbled on through 2015 - honestly I don't really know but if they changed skippers it wouldn't disappoint me.
Billy Mumphrey
Guest
Harris Andrews next in line for the captaincy followed by Berry. Hodge acts as a mentor to the leadership group and won't take the role.
Billy Mumphrey
Guest
Hodge and Cameron came to the club at the same time and Christensen arrived at the end of 2014, apart from that you make some good points.