RISING LIONS REGAIN PRIDE
Brisbane now becoming a club of choice for top stars
The Lions are back in vogue with Brisbane trending again as a destination club.
The perennial cellar dwellers are on the verge of becoming a finals contender once again.
And, in turn, a viable option for players seeking success – not just a change of scenery or, more to the point, an easy senior game.
The Lions have contested just two final matches in the past 14 seasons.
But, the writing is on the wall if you go by the names on the lockers – Rayner, McCluggage, Hipwood, Witherden – that the Lions are on the way back.
Playing a spirited and skilful brand of football, they’ve become an attractive proposition for star Fremantle midfielder Lachie Neale.
And you can throw in Geelong small forward Lincoln McCarthy for good measure.
Neither are Queenslanders, so there’s no ‘come-home’ factor. They simply see the potential.
There’s still the wheeling and dealing to be done during the trade period, starting today – and the Dockers are ready to play hard ball over Neale – but Lions football boss David Noble is brimming.
“We have lots to offer that some clubs potentially can’t,” he said. “We’ve got to use that our advantage.
“We’re having really positive conversations with managers about talent who we think can help.
“Not just players who in the past maybe haven’t been able to get games somewhere else.”
After stockpiling young talent at the draft, such as last year’s No.1 pick Cam Rayner and the previous year’s No.3 Hugh McCluggage, Noble said there was now an emphasis on that middle-age bracket via trading.
Ball magnet Neale, fresh off a second club champion win on Saturday, is 25, McCarthy 24.
“That’s the gap we reckon we’ve got,” Noble said.
“It’s really important (to fill).” As well as their talent, Noble said key to recruits, including
draftees, was assessing their character – “the quality of the individual”.
“If you’re targeting the right people, bringing the right calibre of person in and they are invested in your organisation, there’s no doubt, you build credibility,” Noble said.
“Hodgy (Luke Hodge) helped with that.”
Talking four-time premiership Hawk Hodge out of retirement to become an unofficial playing assistant coach has proven to be a masterstroke by head coach Chris Fagan and Noble.
His guidance on and off the field has fast-tracked the development of the Lions’ young list.
Noble said the brainstrust had been “hopeful” about the impact Hodge would make. He exceeded expectations – been a “total pro”, says Noble.
“The thing that has really resonated with a lot our players is just his attention to detail ... it can really make a difference,” he said.
While stalwarts Dayne Zorko, Dayne Beams and Stefan Martin made up the top three in the club’s best and fairest, second-year players McCluggage, Jarrod Berry and Alex Witherden finished in the top 10.
They weren’t just making up numbers.
“The progression of our second-year guys was outstanding,” Noble said, adding the “ownership focus of our leadership program” is paying off.
“Quite often they can flatline a little bit (in season two, but) they were able to hold their own and take bigger roles.”
With all committed, and no sign of any more walkouts, the Lions have a list that, Noble says “wants to grow together”.
“They want to chase success and they want to have some fun and enjoy their footy at the same time,” he said.
There are however still holes in the list, some areas of concern.
Noble wants more run – off halfback and the wing – and a small defender wouldn’t go astray, so as to ease the load on the versatile Darcy Gardiner.
“He did a good job on (Jeremy) Cameron, did a good job on (Lance) Franklin but then he’s got to butter up and do a job on Betts,” Noble explained.
Neale would be the icing on the cake in the midfield. McCarthy would provide forward pressure and another avenue to goal.
The Lions aren’t getting ahead of themselves but the signs are promising with this latest rebuild.
“We’re looking at sustainable success, instead of being a flash in the pan,” Noble said.
“I think having been only here for a couple of years (with Fagan), I guess the re-start has been relatively easy for us ... we come in with fresh eyes.
“But for a number of our staff and fans who have re-started for a second or third or fourth time, they can be like ‘really?’
“We make no bones about we’ve still got lots of hard work ahead of us.
“We’ve just keep our nose to the grindstone and see what happens.”