“A reliable, consistent leader.”
It’s hard to summarise Lions skipper Bre Koenen in just a few words, but if you were going to try, those would be the ones that AFLW Head Coach Craig Starcevich would pick.
The Lions Captain will notch up her 50th AFLW game in this weekend’s Qualifying Final, joining teammates Emily Bates and Ally Anderson in a select group of AFLW players to reach the milestone this season.
Starcevich can’t emphasis enough the impact the 27-year-old has had on the team in what has been a challenging AFLW season for the entire competition.
“She’s always had this strong care for her teammates,” Starcevich said.
“In her first year as Captain she probably thought she would be supported by Kate Lutkins in the backline.
“Having a senior player missing to help with football and the Captaincy has made it something of a crash course for Bre to learn how to deal with all the things that come with the role, and yet despite all that, she’s done an amazing job so far.
“She continues to be a very reliable player who reads the game well, sets up attack from that part of the ground.
“She’s probably part of the reason why someone like Nat Grider continues to develop, just with Bre being as selfless as she is it allows some of the others to play a more attacking role.
“All things considered, these are the attributes that you want from a leader.”
A Foundation Lion whose football journey from her hometown of Magnetic Island to the Brisbane Lions AFLW team is well known among AFLW circles, Koenen says she never could have imagined reaching this milestone back when it all began.
“I would have never imagined I’d be standing here today talking about my 50th game,” Koenen said.
“It’s a huge accomplishment and to be one of the first few to achieve that is pretty special.”
“And then to do it with the one Club, I’m pretty stoked.”
In a serendipitous moment for Koenen, her 50 game milestone will also coincide with her first Finals campaign for the Lions as Captain.
“It’s pretty perfect timing to be honest,” Koenen said.
“It’s special whenever we get to play at the Gabba.
“Hopefully we can get a really good crowd behind us because there’s nothing like it, a stadium home, it’ll be pretty special.”
The Brisbane Lions will play Collingwood in the AFLW Qualifying Final on Sunday March 27, 12:05PM at the Gabba. Tickets are still available, grab yours HERE.
