Trade HQ: Check out all the big list calls Brisbane faces this off-season

It wasn’t long ago Lewis Taylor was winning major awards and signing big contracts. But as the Lions have exploded, he has struggled. What is his next move?

Lachie Neale has been in great form since becoming a Lion. Picture: AAP Images

Few sides have nailed an off-season like the Lions did last year, with the club potentially adding a Brownlow Medallist in the form of Lachie Neale.

But there is still work to be done to take Brisbane from finals hopeful to premiership contender.

While Neale has been outstanding, the Lions need to once again focus on the midfield and get him a right-hand man — what Dayne Beams would have been.

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Neale has had 130 more disposals than the next best Lion in Daniel Rich. That gap is too big. Compare that to premiership contenders like Collingwood, Geelong and GWS and you will see a more even spread among the top ball winners.

They’ve done the hard work in recruiting the A-grader. Now it is time to be shrewd. They need to find a player in the 23-26 age range who has the potential to reach A-grade status with more opportunity.

The Hawks trading for Tom Mitchell with the incentive of more midfield time is the perfect example.

Lachie Neale has been the perfect recruit for the Lions. Picture: AAP Images

From there, the likes of Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry are ready to increase their workloads as Dayne Zorko spends more time up forward.

One area the Lions don’t need to worry about is their small forwards. Richmond’s mosquito fleet helped them to a premiership and the Lions’ squad of Charlie Cameron, Lincoln McCarthy and Zorko are every bit as talented. The wildcard is Cam Rayner. He is still young and still developing but I did expect to see a little more from him this year.

I think if he played for a Melbourne club, and was producing this in his second year as a No. 1 pick, he would be under more scrutiny.

While the short term is about finals, the long term needs to be about premierships. I’d love to see them add a little bit of extra support for bookends Eric Hipwood and Harris Andrews. Fellow key position options Daniel McStay, Oscar McInerney, Darcy Gardiner and Marcus Adams are solid but can they consistently produce the level required to help the club to a flag?

Daniel McStay is in an interesting position at the Lions. Picture: Getty Images

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THREE LIONS RIVAL RECRUITERS ARE WATCHING:

Dan McStay

Closing in on 100 games now and is hitting his straps as a key forward. This season has seen him crash a lot more packs to create opportunities for his small forwards. His goal kicking is a major worry but Brisbane do not want to lose him.

Tom Cutler

A hard running winger who can break lines. Is not the most contested player at Brisbane and is marked hard because of it. Appears to have fallen behind others and may benefit from a change of environment. Is open to a move home because of a family matter.

Lewis Taylor

The former Rising Star winner finds himself at the crossroads. Has been unable to lock down a permanent position this year and with a flood of exciting youngsters coming through the ranks could find his opportunities becoming leaner in coming years.

Lewis Taylor has been passed by a number of Lions. Picture: Getty Images

THREE PLAYERS LIONS RECRUITERS ARE WATCHING

The draft

Brisbane’s plan is to try to move up the draft order after bringing in a host of established players over the past two years but they would take an inside midfielder in his prime if they could find one.

Brandon Ellis

The Lions have previously expressed interest in Tiger Brandon Ellis. They don’t have many line breaking types who can play off half back or on the wing. The player may come from within the ranks with youngsters Zac Bailey and Brandon Starcevich both highly rated, but Brisbane went after Ellis once before and may ask the question again.

Sam Day

As long as Dan McStay is unsigned the Lions will monitor key forwards across the competition. Brisbane obviously keep a closer eye on the NEAFL than most clubs and know what the foundation Sun is capable of. Their premiership window is about to open and although they have some developing big men, none are ready to hold down a key position for 22 weeks if McStay goes.

Sam Day has been in and out of the Suns side. Picture: AAP Images

RATE THE 2018 TRADE PERIOD

Score: 8/10.

Brisbane had a superb trade period and their score could rise even more in the coming weeks if former Bulldog Marcus Adams lives up to his billing when he returns to the side. It is tempting to give the Lions top marks given Lachie Neale’s stellar season to date working in tandem with delisted ex-Sun Jarryd Lyons in the midfield and Lincoln McCarthy’s contributions in the forward line. Stopping that, of course, is the loss of skipper Dayne Beams to Collingwood. Beams is injured now which eases the hurt but the plan was always for Neale to work alongside Beams, not replace him. Brisbane’s improvement can also be put down to the unexpected arrival of Lyons as a delisted free agent which has offset Beams’ departure.

Brisbane traded away their top draft pick, which ended up being number 6, to Fremantle to secure Neale, a two time Dockers’ club champion. But given they had secured regular senior players Hugh McCluggage, Jarrod Berry, Alex Witherden, Zac Bailey and Cam Rayner in the past two drafts and are one of the competition’s youngest sides, it was a smart play that will only enhance their future.