Doubt is surely starting to enter the mind of the Brisbane faithful. After three straight seasons of blowing out in the finals, can they jump the final hurdle?
Finishes of second and fourth have resulted in two straight-set exits and a prelim loss in 2020.
The arrival of spearhead Joe Daniher was touted as the final key to finally making the grand final, and while the ex-Bomber was a large asset in their success, expectations will rise this season.
While that obviously didn't occur, the Lions are still in good stead to take the next step forward.
Off-season moves
Ins:ย Darcy Fortย (Geelong Cats, 2022),ย Kai Lohmann (2023),ย James Tunstil (2023), Darcy Wilmot (2023)
Outs:ย Connor Ballendenย (delisted),ย Grant Birchallย (retired),ย Tom Joyceย (delisted),ย Archie Smithย (retired),ย Brock Smith (delisted), Cam Ellis-Yolmen (inactive)
Star Player
In a midfield full of talented players, Jarryd Lyons stands out as the one to star this season.
The 29-year-old is coming off a stellar season that saw him average 28.1 disposals, 4.9 marks, 6.2 clearances and 6.4 tackles per game.
While coming third in the club's best and fairest, he dominated the Brownlow count for the Lions with 23 votes, nine higher than next teammate Dayne Zorko.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
SEE ALSO: FIVE BURNING QUESTIONS FOR BRISBANE
The former Crow and Sun ranked 3rd in the league for tackles and 4th for pressure acts, working as an inside beast.
While he didn't make the All-Australian team, he did make the squad, and we see him earning his first AA blazer this season.
