Lions star talks Brisbane move, Adam Treloar friendship, Lions’ flag tilt

Josh Dunkley is already a premiership player, but a merging of past and present has truly set in place how crucial Brisbane’s flag push is, and how he may be the final piece of the puzzle.

Josh Dunkley feature Brisbane art

It’s the crossover between his past and present football lives that confirmed to Josh Dunkley he had made the right choice.

After Brisbane’s qualifying final victory over Port Adelaide, the first-year Lion looked up from where he was seated on the floor of the Gabba change rooms to see a beaming Adam Treloar walking towards him.

Great mates at football clubs are a dime-a-dozen but the bond Dunkley and Treloar built while playing together at the Western Bulldogs is special.

Even after Dunkley shocked the red, white and blue by requesting a trade to Brisbane last season, the pair’s bond has remained rock solid.

“I joked if he was coming up to Brisbane for the game and he said, ‘Yeah, of course I’m coming up to support you’,” Dunkley told this masthead.

“I actually didn’t know he was going to come down to the rooms. I left that up to him.

“To see him down there after a massive win over Port was awesome. It was like the old days at the Bulldogs when we used to celebrate together after winning games of footy.”

Best mates Bulldog Adam Treloar and Josh Dunkley after Brisbane’s clash with the Bulldogs. Pic: Michael Klein

Treloar wasn’t the only surprise guest that night. Some big name Broncos players also filtered through to congratulate Charlie Cameron on his 200th game and share in the spoils with the Lions.

While the outside world might prefer to pit the club against its NRL neighbours or disagree with a rival player being in the rooms, it’s a small gesture among many that has helped make Dunkley feel at home as a Lion.

“Some people might frown upon it, but I just think it’s awesome that the club was great and accepted him in the rooms, firstly,” he said.

“It was like he’s part of the family. He’s part of my support crew, he’s supporting me and supporting us as a group, so to have him in the rooms was pretty special.

“It’s just great to have that environment where you can welcome everyone down and if you’re supporting the Lions, we can carry on and continue to try and win games of football for you.”

Dunkley’s departure from The Kennel was a body blow to Bulldogs fans and watching his first season at Brisbane it’s easy to understand why.

He stepped straight into an already potent midfield mix and has helped elevate it even further.

Earlier this year skipper Lachie Neale declared Dunkley was the best two-way midfielder in the competition and he had taken inspiration and guidance from his new teammate.

It was high praise from the 2020 Brownlow Medallist, who when all is said and done will go down as one of the club’s all-time greats.

It was a conversation with Neale last year that helped sway Dunkley to move north for a different challenge.

“Lach was really good throughout the whole process,” Dunkley said.

“I had spoken to him a number of times before the trade went through and as soon as I came up to Brissy, he was quick to bring me out to the club and introduce me to people.

“It was the off-season then so not a lot of the boys were around, but it was great to straight away get to know him and link with one of the best players and people at the club.

“He went out of his way to make sure I felt comfortable and really happy within the group straight away.”

Neale played a huge role in getting Dunkley to the Lions. Photo Steve Pohlner

Chris Fagan’s pitch was simple but effective.

The Lions were on the cusp of something special and Dunkley had been circled as the man to help them take the leap.

Giving up freezing winter mornings in Melbourne also helped.

“The pitch from Fages was really about lifestyle, the playing group, the young list and the exciting aspect of being a leader in the midfield,” Dunkley recalled.

“My partner is from here so we probably see ourselves living here for the rest of our lives. It’s a great opportunity to get that started now and play for a team that had been going really well.

“There was no better opportunity for me. I felt I needed a bit of a change-up and I haven’t looked back.”

Games like Saturday’s preliminary final against Carlton at the Gabba are the reason why Dunkley was so sought-after by the Lions.

He played in the Bulldogs’ drought-breaking 2016 premiership as a 19-year-old, in just his first season of AFL football.

Five years later he was in another grand final, this time experiencing the flip side of the coin.

“Winning a flag was incredible,” Dunkley said.

“It’s part of my drive to get back there and hopefully do it again. We obviously have to win this week first, but my drive as a player and all the emotions and things I go through are to have that feeling again on grand final day.

“To taste success so early but then a few years later lose one, it really gave me a great perspective on how hard they are to win. You’d give anything to win a grand final with the boys, the group, the club.

“It’s just an incredible feeling to have and share among everyone involved. Everything I’m doing now I’m dedicating to that goal.”

Dunkley and Lions coach Chris Fagan. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

If Brisbane is to beat the Blues and book a place in the grand final, Dunkley will be major reason why.

When the two sides squared off in round eight, he went to Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps and held the reigning Brownlow Medallist to just 17 disposals and three clearances.

Whether he gets that match-up again on Saturday, or stands alongside an on-fire Sam Walsh, the Lions know he will give his all to the cause.

For seven seasons Fagan has built this list with an eye on a premiership.

Dunkley may be the final piece to his puzzle.