Securing Neil Balme as football manager is Brisbane’s top priority

BRISBANE CEO Greg Swann says the most important decision the Lions face in the coming weeks is getting an experienced football manager.

Neil Balme. Picture: Getty Images.

NEIL Balme is Brisbane’s No. 1 priority.

Lions CEO Greg Swann on Monday made the bold declaration that the most important decision Brisbane faces in coming weeks was getting an experienced football manager, ahead of finding a coach.

It sounds dramatic but he is right.

Swann made a pitch to Collingwood footy manager Balme over lunch last week and has also contacted Kangaroos football manager Geoff Walsh and Adelaide’s GM of football David Noble.

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Although Swann’s preference for the next senior coach to be someone who has done the job before — which puts Hawks assistant and former Blues coach Brett Ratten at the top of the list — his is just one of several voices involved in the selection process.

Collectively, they believe an experienced senior assistant can do the job.

Neil Balme and Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley shake hands after the club’s Round 23 loss. Picture: Getty Images.

John Barker, who is a long time assistant but coached the Blues as a stand-in after Mick Malthouse’s departure, has strong supporters.

The AFL want their Level 4 coaching course to be seen as a prerequisite for senior coaches and the candidate is likely to come from the two intakes if the club goes for an untried coach.

Should the Lions go that way, an old head to steer them through what are sure to be rocky waters for the next year or two is essential.

So is a firm voice who can restore order among a section of the playing list that have become a law unto themselves.

There was no real conviction at Monday’s press conference when Swann and chairman Bob Sharpless were asked about the future of captain Tom Rockliff.

Things could have panned out differently for both Michael Voss and Justin Leppitsch had there been a senior figure like Balme at the club.

Voss was made head of football — senior even to Graeme Allan, who had been football manager through three Lions premierships.

Voss brought in his friend Dan Collins, an Olympic silver medallist canoeist, as high performance manager.

The Lions played finals that year (2009) but at the end of the season, Gubby Allan moved to GWS and the Brittain brothers, former Carlton coach Wayne and long time Leigh Matthews assistant coach Craig, both walked, having struggled to work with Collins.

Justin Leppitsch was sacked by the Lions on Monday. Picture: Getty Images.

Voss improved every year in the job but never recovered from that exodus of experience.

Leppitsch made a similar mistake.

When he applied for the job back in 2013, he blew the panel away with the quality of his presentation but even back then they had concerns about his ego.

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Peter Schwab was brought in to act as a mentor but Leppitsch rallied against the move and Schwab soon found himself back in Melbourne working in list management for the Lions.

Senior Lions administrators now say with regret that Leppitsch’s greatest weakness was refusing to seek counsel or take advice from anyone.

He lived and died by his own sword.