Still riding the high of their grand final victory, the Lions' draft window is sure to extend the excitement at Brisbane as they prepare to attain two top-rated prospects this November.
With father-son and Academy teenagers set to land at the premiers as first-round selections, the club has done a mountain of work in recent weeks to expand its draft hand and prepare for early rival bids.
There is still more work to be done to complete what is looking like a clear picture for Brisbane's draft haul, with the end result set to see the grand finalists come away with arguably this year's best prospect and another top 20 talent.
Draft points are the name of the game this year for the Lions, who might need to acquire more selections despite holding seven picks for the 2024 AFL Draft already.
Picks: 27, 34, 42, 43, 49, 60, 66
The Lions' lengthy draft hand currently totals 2531 points, which is enough to cover a matched bid for Levi Ashcroft at Pick 1 should it come. A selection that early will leave them scrambling for points to also attain Academy talent Sam Marshall, who could fetch a bid in the top 15.
It's like Brisbane will dip into their future selections to add to their draft hand following a bid for Ashcroft to secure Marshall too, however they only hold a first, second (tied to Essendon) and fourth-rounder for 2025.
List spots are tight, but the Lions might look to secure a third prospect late into the draft or as a rookie if they see a list need or talent still on offer in the final round.
Tall Forward: The void Joe Daniher leaves will likely be filled with an experienced attacker, but his retirement will also have the Lions considering another young tall through the draft late into the piece. A forward who could potentially have an influence close to what Logan Morris did this year would be the dream, with Luke Lloyd and Brandon Ryan still yet to prove themselves also.
Best Available: The Lions are doing a good job of building for the future while still contending, having plenty of players under 25 holding roles in their premiership run or at least knocking on the door. If they can continue to build the foundations of their future side while remaining at the top over the next couple of years then we could be set to see a dynasty in Queensland's capital once again.
Ruck Support: The Lions' leading ruck duo were on full display in September, with Oscar McInerney's reinforcement, Darcy Fort, playing his part in the club's grand final victory. Outside of those two, who are both over 30, Brisbane's ruck stocks are lacking as Henry Smith is the sole recognised ruck option. With Daniher's ruck work also gone, some depth behind McInerney and Fort could be required.
Levi Ashcroft: A name Brisbane fans will be quite familiar with already, with Ashcroft viewed by many as the lead prospect for 2024. The Vic Metro midfielder is a damaging inside ball-winner who offers differing traits to older brother Will, with the pair to complement each other nicely over the next decade. Expect a bid for Ashcroft to come as early as Pick 2.
Sam Marshall: The second priory-tied talent the Lions will have on their list this off-season, with Marshall another first-round worthy prospect following a strong year with the Allies and Sandringham Dragons. He won best-afield honours in a grand final win with the latter in September, recording 28 disposals and two goals. Was named in the U18 All-Australian team as one of the Allies' best. Think what Jaspa Fletcher has done since joining the Lions alongside Will Ashcroft.
Gabriel Stumpf: Was a standout at the National Draft Combine, taking out the 20m sprint and standing vertical tests as a 196cm key forward. Stumpf is an athletic attacker who is strong in the air and managed 27 goals for the year with the Northern Knights. Also featured as a supporting ruckman to expand his game, which could be attractive to the Lions' recruiters. As mentioned, Brisbane would need to either trade back into the draft's later rounds or potentially view Stumpf as a gettable prospect via the Rookie Draft.