Every AFL team’s best 23 for ’23: Brisbane Lions

The Lions are hotly tipped to be a Premiership contender in 2023 after a busy off-season.

STAFF WRITER | January 19, 2023 - 12:58pm

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The Brisbane Lions added a plethora of exciting players this off-season to a list that made a preliminary final from outside the top-four last year.

These additions have AFL fans chomping at the bit to see what lineup they bring into Round 1, with expectations at an all-time high for Chris Fagan's side.

Whilst their list philosophy may appear on the surface to be the antithesis of that followed by reigning premiers Geelong, they are surprisingly the third oldest and fourth most experienced side heading into season 2023, perhaps aided by mature-age acquisitions that fail to mask their lofty ambitions.

It will be intriguing to see whether Fagan prioritises youth or chooses to stick with experience as stalwarts of the club reach the twilight of their careers and youngsters inch closer towards unlocking their potential.

INS: Will Ashcroft (No.2 draft pick, father-son), Shadeau Brain (category B rookie), Josh Dunkley (trade, Western Bulldogs), Jaspa Fletcher (No.12 draft pick, father-son), Jack Gunston (trade, Hawthorn), Darryl McDowell-White jnr (category B rookie), Conor McKenna (pre-season supplemental selection period)

OUTS: Tom Berry (trade, Gold Coast), Mitchell Cox (delisted), Connor McFadyen (delisted), Dan McStay (free agent, Collingwood), Mitch Robinson (retired), Ely Smith (delisted), Deividas Uosis (delisted)

Defenders

There is a plethora of young talent looking to break into a strong Lions outfit in season 2023. Still, the standard apprenticeship as a running half-back is not readily available to budding young midfielders due to the wealth of talent already vying for a defensive post.

This is exacerbated by the arrival of former Bomber Conor McKenna who will likely be forced to ply his trade in the reserves in order to earn his spot after a two-year hiatus from the AFL.

Daniel Rich and Keidean Coleman were Fagan's preferred options last year and are likely to continue in that role, but they will be pushed at selection by the promising Jaxon Prior and youngster Darcy Wilmot after he turned heads with his finals series debut.

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Perhaps the biggest weakness on Brisbane's list stems from the lingering concussion symptoms that forced them to move 192cm defender Marcus Adams to the inactive list.

Fortunately, they have retained his understudy from last year in 23-year-old key defender Jack Payne who, after patiently waiting in the wings, will likely be given the opportunity to cement his place in the backline.

Darcy Gardiner and Harris Andrews are all but certain to hold down the other key position posts in the backline, with Brandon Starcevich playing either small or tall depending on their weekly matchup.

Noah Answerth is likely to be the final piece of their defensive rotation, with the medium defender capable of playing a range of matchups and plugging whichever holes present themselves on any given week.

Midfielders

For most clubs, the exclusion of arguably the best player in the 2022 draft pool from their immediate midfield lineup would be unfathomable, yet the wealth of talent Brisbane possesses in the centre of the ground means that Will Ashcroft might be, at least initially, resigned to a position on the interchange bench.

Lachie Neale and new recruit Josh Dunkley are certain starters in the centre square and their partnership remains a source of intrigue for eager fans.

The union of the reigning Charles Sutton Medallist in Dunkley, a Brownlow medal winner in Neale and an exciting father-son prospect in Will Ashcroft is a tantalising prospect that has Brisbane fans salivating.

They will be hoping that ruckman Oscar McInerney can elevate his game to the next level and compliment the silky midfielders at his feet as they form, at least on paper, one of the most exciting midfield contingents in the competition.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 27: Taj Campbell-Farrell of the Stingrays is tackled by Will Ashcroft of the Dragons during the NAB League Boys match between Dandenong and Sandringham at Shepley Oval on May 27, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos )

The three aforementioned midfielders are certainly high-profile, but it could easily be Zac Bailey and Hugh McCluggage that are selected as All-Australians at season's end.

There is no doubt that both players have enormous potential and, at 23 and 24 years of age respectively, there is no reason why they can't reach new heights and unleash their game-winning talents.

Jarrod Berry is likely to occupy the final midfield slot after establishing himself as a hard-nosed endurance beast during the regular season and playing a stellar tagging role on Melbourne gun Clayton Oliver in their semi-final clash.

The Brisbane selection committee is almost certain have many sleepless nights as they face selection conundrums, albeit positive ones, created by the likes of veterans Callum Ah Chee and Rhys Mathieson and youngsters Deven Robertson, Harry Sharp and father-son draftee Jaspa Fletcher as they linger on the precipice of the best 22.

Forwards

The addition of Jack Gunston to a forward line that already boasts two marquee key forwards in Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood is all but certain to create plenty of headaches for opposition sides.

They might think twice about selecting too much height as a countermeasure, however, given that they will be concurrently contending with two box office small forwards in Charlie Cameron and Lincoln McCarthy buzzing at their feet.

Spoilt by riches in the midfield, it is likely that Cam Rayner will be forced to spend a high percentage of his game time in the forward line, completing a contingent of six game-winning forwards that will terrorise even the most competent of backlines.

Eric Hipwood and Charlie Cameron during the round 22 AFL match between St Kilda and Brisbane on August 12, 2022 (Photo by Cameron Grimes / Zero Digital Media)

Lyons was often made to rotate through the forward line last year after battling osteitis pubis for much of the season, and when he is fully fit Brisbane will battle the same quandary as aforementioned with Rayner.

The midfield-forward rotation is likely to include captain Dayne Zorko, although his midfield minutes are predicted to dwindle in 2023 as he transitions back into the small forward role he began his AFL career in.

Nakia Cockatoo is yet to prove to selectors that he can perform consistently and will be keen to crack into the best 22 after being given a lifeline via the rookie draft despite an underwhelming 2022 season.

Youngsters Kai Lohmann and Tom Fullarton are forced to wait in the wings in this predicted lineup, but it would be surprising if they didn't both creep into the lineup at certain stages of the 2023 season.