Jarryd Lyons had an outstanding 2021 for Brisbane, polling 23 votes in the Brownlow Medal. Photo: AFL MEDIA

BRISBANE
2021 record: 15 wins, 9 losses (5th)

THE INS
Darcy Fort (Geelong), Darcy Wilmot (Northern Knights), Kai Lohmann (GWV Rebels), James Tunstill (East Perth)

THE OUTS
Grant Birchall (retired), Archie Smith (retired), Tom Joyce (delisted), Brock Smith (delisted), Connor Ballenden (delisted)

THE STRENGTHS
With three consecutive top-four finishes at the end of the home-and-away season, the Lions are doing a lot right. They have one of the best midfields in the competition, which features Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, captain Dayne Zorko, Jarryd Lyons, who went to another level last year, polling 23 Brownlow votes, veteran battering ram Mitch Robinson and exciting young guns Hugh McCluggage, Zac Bailey and Jarrod Berry. They also finished the 2021 season with comfortably the best attack in the competition, 137 points clear of the next-best Western Bulldogs. Charlie Cameron (55), Joe Daniher (46), Lincoln McCarthy (36) and Bailey (31) all kicked over 30 goals, and Eric Hipwood (26) would have joined them if he hadn’t injured his knee in round 17. Enhancing their offensive potency was the fact they were ranked No.1 in the competition for forward entries. Their backline is rock-solid, too, with key pillars Harris Andrews, Darcy Gardiner and Marcus Adams combining with the evergreen Daniel Rich as well as the vastly-improved Brandon Starcevich and Callum Ah Chee to ensure they had the fifth-best defence in the AFL last year. If they can get close to full seasons out of Neale, Adams, Berry and Gardiner, who missed a combined 42 games between them due to injury, that would be a further boost to their premiership aspirations – as will the return of former No.1 draft pick Cam Rayner, who sat out the entire 2021 season due to a ruptured ACL.

THE WEAKNESSES
It’s the “f word”, yet again, that plagues Brisbane on the eve of another season – “finals”. And it’s a word that elicits another ‘f word’ out of the mouths of Brisbane fans, which is not fit for publication. Yep, the Lions haven’t done much wrong in their past 61 home-and-away games, but the most maddening aspect of Chris Fagan’s very productive reign is the fact that they just cannot get it done come finals time. With just one win from their last six finals, Brisbane’s winning percentage at the business end is a measly 17 compared to their home-and-away rate of 74 per cent during that same period. Even more galling for the Lions is that their finals record at the Gabba since 2018 is 1-4 while their home-and-away record is 28-2 at the venue. The Bulldogs were latest side to add to Brisbane’s September heartache with an epic one-point win in last year’s semi-final. Having completely blown two of their last three double chances, by exiting in straight sets, the pinch is starting to be felt as the clock begins to tick on this group’s premiership window. Nor did Brisbane have a very flattering win-loss record against top-eight sides last year, victorious in just four of 10 meetings. The extended absence of Hipwood will also hurt and will mean Oscar McInerney and Tom Fullarton will have to pinch-hit a lot more in attack.

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ONE TO WATCH
There’s never a good time to have an ACL injury, but it seemed particularly cruel that Rayner would suffer that fate so early in his career and just as he looked like he was set for a big season last year. But the good news for Lions is that he is now back and it will be exciting to see not only how he returns from the injury, but also what kind of impact he can have in the Lions’ already extremely potent forward set-up.

UNDER THE PUMP
Robinson has been an incredible servant for the Lions. He has played a big part in driving their new culture and, as a result, propelling them to premiership contender status in recent years. And while his numbers weren’t terrible last year, as the season wore on, he seemed to lack the same impact on matches that he’d usually had in previous seasons. The former Blue turns 33 next season, and with the likes of Berry and Deven Robertson nipping at his heels in the midfield pecking order, he could have a battle on his hands to remain a regular member of the best 23.

BEST 23
B: Darcy Gardiner, Marcus Adams, Callum Ah Chee
HB: Daniel Rich, Harris Andrews, Brandon Starcevich
C: Hugh McCluggage, Lachie Neale, Zac Bailey
HF: Charlie Cameron, Joe Daniher, Cam Rayner
F: Lincoln McCarthy, Daniel McStay, Oscar McInerney
R: Darcy Fort, Jarryd Lyons, Dayne Zorko
Inter: Jarrod Berry, Mitch Robinson, Deven Robertson, Keidean Coleman, Jaxon Prior
Emerg: Jack Payne, Tom Fullarton, Nakia Cockatoo

Hipwood has been left out of the team for now as he won’t be expected to be back to full fitness until much later in the season. A lack of ruck depth opens the door for former Cat Darcy Fort to slot straight into the first 18. The Lions will be hoping Fort can provide decent support for McInerney and allow both him and Joe Daniher to play up forward more as they wait to regain Hipwood. The fact that the likes of Noah Answerth, James Madden, Tom Berry, Rhys Mathieson and Cam Ellis-Yolmen can’t even break into the 26 is a very good sign for the Lions.