AFL Finals 2024: Brisbane Lions forward Kai Lohmann on his breakout season
Before Hokball swept the nation, there was a breakout Lion whose celebrations took the AFL by storm. Kai Lohmann chats to CALLUM DICK about being Brisbane’s lightning rod.
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Forget the Hollywood Hawks.
Let’s start talking Blockbuster Brisbane.
Breakout forward Kai Lohmann is the Lions’ celebration specialist and he is taking inspiration from the Hawks’ small ball brigade this September as the two clubs chart a possible grand final collision course later this month.
“I really love the way the Hawks go about it,” Lohmann told this masthead.
“Jack Ginnivan, Nick Watson and those blokes. It’s actually really fun to watch them do their thing.
“I’ve always been a celebrator and someone that brings energy to the team and I think Fages (coach Chris Fagan) really loves that.
“Sometimes he might be like, ‘What’s this, Kai?’ which is quite funny. But we’re just trying to play the way we want to play and I’m just being myself out there.
“I’m really loving what I’m doing and loving how everyone else is celebrating as well.”
Lohmann, 21, is one of the great stories out of Brisbane this season.
Taken with the No. 20 pick in the 2021 national draft, he struggled to break into a stacked Lions forward line featuring just eight times in his first two seasons.
He found himself at a crossroads this time last year when he broke his collarbone in the VFL, ruling him out for the season and leaving him with a looming contract call.
Lohmann had a tough decision to make. Stay in Brisbane and learn off the likes of Charlie Cameron and Lincoln McCarthy, though possibly at the cost of senior starts, or return home for more game time but with lesser mentors.
“I was talking to Mum through the week and we were just saying how much things have changed over the last 12 months,” Lohmann said.
“I broke my collarbone today this time last year in the VFL which was very disappointing. I was in and out of the side which was annoying. But it’s really rewarding having so many guys around here that I can learn off every day like Charlie Cameron and Lincoln McCarthy.
“Jack Gunston last year was big for me as well and Josh Dunkley this year has been a great mentor. I’m so grateful to all of those blokes.”
Congratulations to Kai Lohmann on taking out the round ten AFL Rising Star nomination 🌟ðŸ¨ðŸ¦ðŸ#BrisbaneLions#BrisbaneBears#Lions#Bears#BBFFC#Uncaged#FeelOurRoar#AFL#AFLLionsTigershttps://t.co/BnIR065TK8pic.twitter.com/1NCG2Neldv
— The Brisbane Bear 🨠(@thebrisbanebear) May 20, 2024
Among the teams reportedly interested in his services was Hawthorn. In another world, ‘Cobra Kai’ could be uncorking celebrations alongside Ginnivan, Gunston and co. this September.
Instead he was climbing all over Lachie Neale last Saturday night after kicking his maiden AFL finals goal in Brisbane’s rout of Carlton at the Gabba.
“It wasn’t planned to jump over him and tackle him like that … I was actually a bit scared I hurt him, but we were able to have a laugh afterwards which was nice,” Lohmann said.
“It was a pretty cool moment for me. Lachie has been huge for me over the last couple of years. He’s been such a great mentor, as well as some other boys.”
After playing just eight games in his first two seasons, Lohmann has not missed a start in 2024.
Averaging 5.1 score involvements per game, the 185cm livewire boasts a brilliant blend of high-flying prowess and ground level nous that can make him a nightmare match-up in a forward line that has star factor at every level.
The young forward is finding form at the perfect time, booting seven goals in his past three games including two against the Blues in the elimination final.
He was one of three Lions to make their finals debut last weekend, alongside fellow forward Logan Morris and midfielder Will Ashcroft.
Kai Lohmann kicks truly... and takes out his teammate 😂#AFLFinals#AFLLionsBluespic.twitter.com/vLLNUgE5Tj
— AFL (@AFL) September 7, 2024
Ashcroft was destined for September stardom as the son of triple-premiership Lion Marcus and showed it immediately, producing a game-high nine score involvements from 20 disposals.
Meanwhile Morris and Lohmann both bagged two goals each in a perfect finals footy ice breaker.
First-year forward Morris and Lohmann have added a different dimension to the Brisbane forward line this season in the absence of McCarthy, who was ruled out for the year with an ACL injury.
Not only have they earned their senior starts on merit, they helped re-energise the Lions during the middle of the season when finals football looked a fanciful reality after their poor start.
With Cam Rayner clunking pack marks for fun, the Joe Daniher Show producing thrills and spills on repeat and Cameron always threatening to explode, the Lions think they have the September swagger to match the Hawks.
It’s the product of an environment that Lohmann says make footy feel like “being a kid at school again”.
“Getting to go to work every day and mucking around with Logan, Harry Sharp – even some of the older blokes like Ryan Lester and Jaxon Prior, all of those blokes make it such a fun environment,” Lohmann said.
“It makes me want to come in every day and get better. It’s so fun.
“(Morris) is a really good mate of mine outside of the club.
“He’s a very funny bloke and someone I like to take the piss out of every day.
“We do a lot of extras together and try to make each other better every day. We have a goal kicking comp at training with (development coach) Daniel Lloyd.
How about this effort from Kai Lohmann, leading to a Brisbane goal ðŸ‘#AFLLionsDonspic.twitter.com/rFwNoFEUaQ
— 7AFL (@7AFL) August 24, 2024
“We always hang s*** on each other and try to make each other better. Hopefully we can play the next few years together and really build on that connection in the forward line.”
Brisbane’s path to grand final redemption goes through Blacktown this weekend when Lohmann and co. travel south for a semi-final date with GWS.
It will come a day after the Hawks take their theatrics on the road to face Port Adelaide.
A pair of preliminary final berths are there for the taking. Win those, and the unthinkable grand final match-up – of two teams who started the season a combined 2-10 – will be upon us.
The Hollywood Hawks versus Blockbuster Brisbane.
Welcome to the new age of AFL.
Originally published as AFL Finals 2024: Brisbane Lions forward Kai Lohmann on his breakout season
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