Gary Buckenara analyses Brisbane Lions’ list after the 2017 season

BRISBANE has already scored one of the biggest wins of the trade period but there is one high-profile Lion facing the chop. GARY BUCKENARA’s Lions list analysis.

The Lions will demand a high price for Josh Schache despite his exposed AFL form. Picture: Getty

THERE is light at the end of the tunnel for Brisbane on the back of smart recruiting and list management decisions, which have put this club back on the right track.

The Lions made the right call to invest in the draft and rebuild that way, while also making good use of their academy, which has started to produce some talented players.

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The academy is a really important focus area for a club like Brisbane who has struggled to keep its young talent not only because they’re bringing players in who are home grown but more importantly, they are talented footballers. The fact some have been key position players – Eric Hipwood, Harris Andrews and potentially Connor Ballanden this year – is a huge bonus.

The development of the group is really starting to shine now. Hipwood looks like he’s going to be a star, Andrews and Daniel McStay have both really improved as defenders, Rhys Mathieson has added something to the midfield and we know the level Mitch Robinson has taken his footy to since moving to Brisbane. He was sorely missed this year due to injury.

Eric Hipwood is going to be a seriously good player.

Alex Witherden made an impact in his first season. Picture: Getty

Then there’s the new crop of draftees - Alex Witherden is all class, Hugh McCluggage is going to be a nice player, Jarrod Berry played a role this year and we got a glimpse of Cedric Cox who I really like.

Ben Keays and Josh Schache – who may or may not be at the Lions next year - are also two guys who are coming through but haven’t yet been able to cement a spot in the side but have a heap of talent.

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Add those guys to the experienced Dayne Beams, Dayne Zorko, Stefan Martin and Daniel Rich and it’s the nucleus of what is an exciting young list.

While I know Brisbane has had trouble retaining its young players, when your club is struggling and down the bottom of the ladder the only way to get back up is to invest in the draft.

There is always going to be a pull to go back home for players but it seems now the right people are in place – led by coach Chris Fagan - to turn the club around and the young players in the Brisbane system can now see the improvement on the field. That is a critical part of player retention.

The Lions will be hoping skipper Dayne Beams can have a better run with injury next year.

Rockliff remains unsigned and it appears the free agent is headed for Port Adelaide and that is a massive blow for this club. From the outside looking in it appears the former captain turned his off-field behaviours around and he’s such a good player and one of the leaders, I’d have made it a priority to ensure he would play out his career at the club and be there when the Lions play finals once more.

But what the Lions lose on the field with Rockliff’s skill and leadership it will replace with the unbelievable signing of Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge. What an absolute coup for this club. What Hodge will bring is almost immeasurable – not only his leadership but his on-field talent and ability to drive the club’s culture, a winning culture based on selflessness, competitiveness and team-first attitude.

Hodge will bring a Michael Voss/Jonathan Brown-like presence to that football cub.

I have no doubt Hawthorn will do a deal similar to the ones it did with Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis to West Coast and Melbourne respectively. What an absolute steal.

Luke Hodge to Brisbane is a major coup for the Lions. Picture: Michael Klein

Brisbane has made its interest in Adelaide’s Charlie Cameron known although, understandably, the Crows are playing hardball on any potential trade. What a great get if the Lions can facilitate the trade because the dynamic small forward is exactly what the list needs – that pressure forward who is fanatical with his intent to tackle his opposition, who is quick and has good goal sense.

Adelaide would want a first-round pick for Cameron but obviously the Lions won’t be trading away pick No.1 for him. Their second pick comes in at No.18 and I’d have no hesitation putting that pick on the table. I think that would be a fair deal.

Charlie Cameron is exactly the type of player Brisbane need. Picture: Sarah Reed

But while Hodge and Cameron might be coming to the Gabba, Josh Schache will depart the club if a suitable trade with a Victorian club can be reached. That is a massive blow for the Lions because I believe Schache will still develop into one of the gun key forwards in the competition but unfortunately is homesick. He is a former No.2 draft pick who was so highly-rated in his draft year the Lions won’t let him go cheaply.

Despite struggling in his first two seasons I would command two first-round picks as a starting point and see if any club – like Collingwood or Carlton – would pay it. At the very least I’d accept a first and second-round pick for the goalkicker.

That might seem overs based on his output at AFL level at the moment but the facts are he has 10 or more years left in the game and his best football is ahead of him. Key forwards never come cheaply.

The Lions will demand a high price for Josh Schache despite his exposed AFL form. Picture: Getty

WHAT THEY NEED

The Lions have some good key position players coming through but you can never have too many on your list so I’d be targeting two more young talls – one (potentially academy prospect Connor Ballanden) for up forward and one in defence. They also need ruck back-up for Stefan Martin as Archie Smith is the only other genuine ruckman on the senior list.

The other type of player Brisbane could use more of are rebound defenders with good kicking skills. I think in time Cedric Cox could become that type of player because he provides outside pace and skill but the Lions do need more players with those attributes.

Allex Christensen did not play a game in 2017 because of injury. Picture: Jono Searle

PLAYERS UNDER THE PUMP

I know he was injured this year but Allen Christensen is under the pump big time. He came over from Geelong and really has not delivered on his potential at all and now with these talented young guys coming in, he’s at the risk of being considered a depth player because there are better, younger players who need senior exposure.

Rohan Bewick has been around for a while and served as a good depth player and swingman but the Lions might have gone past him now, Jarrad Jansen hasn’t had any impact since crossing from the Cats and Ryan Harwood has been overtaken it seems.

Josh Walker is another one. Brisbane recruited him when it needed someone to fill the void left by Jonathan Brown and he has provided that experienced body but now with Hipwood thriving and Schache coming through as well if he stays, has he served his purpose? Sometimes clubs just move past these types of players even though they’ve been good for them.

Ryan Lester is another one. Is he going to be the future of the club?

Do the Lions still ned Josh Walker?

Sam Skinner has had no luck with injuries at all and is now undergoing his third knee reconstruction. The Lions might look at putting him on the rookie list because he’s a big lad and if he can get his body right he can be another key position option.

WHO SHOULD GO

Josh Clayton, Jonathan Freeman, Ryan Harwood, Jarrad Jansen and Blake Grewar have already been delised but I’d also be moving on Christensen and Bewick.

CRYSTAL BALL

The next step for this group is to stay in games longer. When you’ve got a young group their enthusiasm at the start of a game will always carry them for a certain period of time until they get tired and the more experienced team wears them down. We saw that a bit this season, particularly in the second half of the year, but I’ll be expecting that to go further in 2018 as these young players grow in confidence and believe they belong at AFL level.

The Lions will still be in the bottom 4-5 clubs next year but should be rising steadily and in three years be knocking on the door of finals. They recorded five wins in 2017 and should be aiming for another two next year so they’ll be around the 6-7 win mark.

Gary Buckenara helped build Hawthorn’s three-peat premiership list and now he runs a rule over club lists in an exclusive column for the Herald Sun.

Buckenara was a major part of Hawthorn’s recruiting team between 2004-2015 and was responsible for bringing Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and Jordan Lewis to the Hawks in 2004 when he was the Hawks’ sole full-time recruiter.

Originally published as Gary Buckenara analyses Brisbane Lions’ list after the 2017 season