No trade: Tom Rockliff staying at the Brisbane Lions

TOM Rockliff won’t be traded from Brisbane but the Lions have demanded he ‘raise the bar’ in the final year of his contract.

Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff.

BRISBANE Lions captain Tom Rockliff could be stripped of the leadership as new coach Chris Fagan puts his stamp on the club.

Rockliff’s manager, Tom Petroro, informed the Lions on Wednesday the 26-year-old ball magnet would see out his contract until the end of next year.

The Lions were open to trading Rockliff but received little interest for his services.

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Rockliff last week met with Fagan and Lions football manager David Noble to discuss his future at the Gabba.

“Tom is 100 per cent committed to where we are headed and the journey we are going to take together as a club,” Noble said.

“Our program demands selfless footballers and leaders who can help others lift their games to a higher level.

Tom Rockliff is staying at Brisbane — at least for one more year. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

“Chris has spoken to Tom about raising the bar on his performance in the year ahead and there is a definite understanding on that.”

But Fagan’s transformation of the Lions’ culture includes a leadership spill.

“Chris wants to have the opportunity as the new coach to come in and implement his own leadership program,” Noble said.

Vice-captain Dayne Beams and Dayne Zorko are frontrunners to replace Rockliff who was in charge for two seasons.

Dayne Zorko could replace Tom Rockliff as Brisbane captain.

“Whether we look at someone externally to come in and help drive that (leadership program), so that’ll be a normal process and course of events that you run through each year in regards to what your leadership group looks like and what your captain looks like,” Noble said.

Drawing on his Adelaide experience, Noble said getting the right leadership group was just as important as appointing the “figurehead”.

“I think your captain is certainly your figurehead but I think it’s all the work that, you know the duck does underneath the water, really and the support mechanisms of what those other guys are about,” Noble told EON Sports Radio.

“Scotty Thompson, Rory Sloane, Richard Douglas, Sam Jacobs … they were all great leaders in their own right behind the scenes, it’s just that you do need a figurehead in our environment.”

Originally published as No trade: Tom Rockliff staying at the Brisbane Lions