Brisbane Lions awarded priority pick for 2016 national draft
THE AFL’s determination to finally jump in to save flagging Brisbane has resulted in the Lions being awarded a rare priority pick.
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THE AFL’s determination to finally jump in to save flagging Brisbane has resulted in the Lions being awarded a rare priority pick.
The AFL awarded the Lions the draft’s No.19 selection, a pick after the first round of November’s national draft.
The league had declined to award Melbourne a priority pick despite repeated submissions and continued underperformance in recent years.
But having clearly been asleep at the wheel as Queensland football plunged into crisis, the allocation of an extra pick will help the Lions quickly rebound.
Earlier on Thursday Lions chief executive Greg Swann had demanded that pick before the start of Monday’s trade period so the club could plan for the annual meat market.
The league had not handed out a priority pick under its new rules introduced in 2012, handing the decision to the Commission at their discretion.
But the AFL, which has had football boss Mark Evans helping the Lions get back on their feet, handed the pick to a club which hasn’t played finals since 2009.
Swann declared the club’s No.2 draft selection on the table given the desire to quickly improve.
The Lions now have picks 2, 19, 20 and 28 in the national draft, after accepting 28 last year as part of the James Aish deal.
Brisbane will secure Collingwood defender Jack Frost on a three-year deal and is open to trading captain Tom Rockliff and midfielder Pearce Hanley.
The surprise is that the Lions are so open to considering options for their No.2 pick after securing young star Josh Schache in last year’s national draft.
“It’s definitely on the table, and if it helps get us something we think is going to make us better, then we’ll look to do that,” Swann told SEN radio.
“Our preference is we want to go to the draft and keep building from underneath. That’s the thing for us. We think the last couple of years, we’ve brought in some really good young talented players.
“We still need some experienced players to make us competitive ... and there might be one or two others that we’ll have a look as the trade period unfolds.”
The Lions are in the bizarre position of actively considering offers for their captain Tom Rockliff even as his manager says he wants to remain at the club.
His manager Tom Petroro said on Thursday unless “something drastic happens in the next couple of weeks I can’t see Tom moving.”
But new football boss David Noble says the club must consider all offers including those on Rockliff.
Swann said the captaincy of the Lions would not be considered until well into the summer.
“I think that will unfold late in the pre-season, it will be a little bit like Brendon Bolton did. I think Chris (Fagan) will come up, he will declare all positions open and people will have to prove to him that they’re worthy of captain, vice-captain or in the leadership group.
“I think with a new coach that’s accepted, that all those things get thrown up.”
Originally published as Brisbane Lions awarded priority pick for 2016 national draft
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