Adams out of Lions’ season

CONCUSSION BLOW

BRISBANE captain Dayne Zorko has revealed how sidelined teammate Marcus Adams “spirals down really quickly” when he attempts to run as he battles lingering concussion symptoms.

Adams is unlikely to play this season as he continues to struggle with concussion-related issues almost six months after they surfaced.

The Lions moved the defender to their inactive list in mid-January and have all but put a line through his 2023 campaign.

Adams sustained a delayed concussion after playing against Carlton in round 21 and then missed the remainder of the season.

Zorko said a bulked-up Adams was spending time in the Lions’ gym, but whenever he tried to build up his running, his condition spiralled down again.

“I don’t think they are putting a return date, if any return date for this season, I think he’s just going to go on the long-term injury list and try and get his head right,” Zorko said on SEN.

“Just having conversations with him in the gym, he still comes in and lifts weights and he’s thick, he’s a big boy. If you think he was big on the field, he’s massive now. He’s benching double what I reckon he used to, he’s enormous.

“But as soon as he starts that running process it spirals down really, really quickly.

“It is (scary). As he said, no one has the answers for us at the moment. But he just slowly builds and every time he finds the peak it sort of spirals down pretty quickly for him.

“Hopefully, he’ll do a few things for us around the club this year, obviously non-strenuous and hopefully we can get him back.”

Adams, 29, played 18 games for the Lions last season and ranked above average for key defenders for disposals and intercept marks.

The backman’s move to the inactive list opened up a spot in the Lions’ squad, which the club filled when it signed former St Kilda defender Darragh Joyce via the pre-season supplemental selection period.

The Irishman, who played 13 games in six years with the Saints, signed a one-year deal with the Lions.