With the Brisbane Lions inching closer to a top four finish, it’s no surprise that it’s skipper Dayne Zorko who leads a resurgent Lions towards their third consecutive Finals campaign.

Setting the standard with relentless pressure and selfless play, the senior midfielder has put together three elite performances as the team builds momentum towards September.

His return to top form first came in the Lions lackluster loss to Hawthorn in Round 20, where Zorko racked up 29 disposals, 9 marks, 5 tackles and 5 clearances in a sign of what was to come from the gutsy midfielder.

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What followed was two of Zorko’s strongest performances this season that saw the skipper play an aggressive and selfless game that got the Lions up and about.

Collecting a massive 34 disposals and 10 tackles in the Lions’ energetic win over Fremantle, and another 27 possessions and 3 goal assists in their crushing defeat of Collingwood, Zorko’s infectious game flowed on through the team to see them lock in two key wins late in the season.

With finals ambitions front of mind, the skipper’s elite form comes at a critical time for the Lions as the young side with little finals experience looks towards the senior stars to prepare them for September.