Even after breaking a premiership drought of more than two decades, the Brisbane Lions are far from a settled side heading into the 2025 campaign.
Coach Chris Fagan’s men dazzled the AFL last year courtesy of a cohort of rising stars who earned their stripes after season-ending injuries threw the careers of four men into disarray.
Keidean Coleman, Tom Doedee, Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner all sustained torn ACLs. In their place, Kai Lohmann, Darcy Wilmot, Logan Morris and Jaspa Fletcher became staples of the line-up, as did fellow fledgling star Will Ashcroft.
Keidean Coleman went within a kick of the 2023 Norm Smith Medal, but suffered a torn ACL early in the 2024 season.Credit: Getty
Of the returning quartet, only Doedee and Coleman are signed beyond 2025, with grand final stars Lohmann, Morris, Callum Ah Chee, Brandon Starcevich and Dayne Zorko also off contract at season’s end.
Fletcher admitted while there would inevitably be some talk about who remains in Brisbane and who seeks greener pastures elsewhere, those conversations were not yet in the works.
And the 20-year-old issued a warning to the rest of the competition: the men on the comeback trail, including ruckman Oscar McInerney, were looking in ominous touch, and in line to feature for their opening clash against Geelong.
“From what I’ve heard I believe so [they will be fit], they’re moving really well, and we’re looking forward to having them back with the group,” Fletcher said.
“When we speak about the fittest … they’re absolutely flying at the moment. I remember walking in and just seeing them doing a session at seven in morning, and they were absolutely flying.
“There’s probably going to be a lot of talk about that sort of thing [contracts], but we’re focused on the year ahead.
“Whatever happens at the end of the year happens, but this group is focused on week by week, and hopefully, we can get back to the end of September again.”
Jaspa Fletcher has played grand finals in his only two AFL seasons.Credit: via Getty Images
Star forward Joe Daniher’s retirement left the only void in the Lions side who conquered the Sydney Swans on grand final day, with his place expected to be taken by former Gold Coast Sun Sam Day.
The additions of highly touted draftees Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall has only heightened competition for spots.
It will create an almighty selection headache for Fagan once he has a full-strength squad to choose from, with even his veterans such as Zorko no guarantee of retaining their spots.
Zorko’s shift to halfback, having spent the12 years in the midfield or forward line, came to accommodate the losses of Coleman and Doedee, but the 35-year-old confirmed he was set to remain in the backline.
The reigning All-Australian welcomed the battle for positions, adamant the club’s motivation came from a desire for the returning contingent to taste the same success of 2024.
“We’re going to be having some really healthy competition for spots again. Those guys with injuries are all going to come back into our team at one point, and that just shows how well we’ve recruited over the last few years and that we’re going to have some really strong depth,” Zorko said.
“There are a lot of guys coming back from rehab, and the majority of them are starters, so the guys who are on the track at the moment have got to put their case forward.
“For those guys who have been an integral part of our team over the last six years and experienced all the hardships and losses, it would be great to recreate that feeling once again for all of them.”
