Dayne Zorko has been ruled out of the Brisbane Lions season opener against Port Adelaide on Saturday afternoon.

The 34-year-old continues to recover from a hamstring problem sustained in pre-season. 

“Dayne is training really well and has made significant progress, but we need to ensure he has the opportunity to get more training volume under his belt,” said Lions High Performance Manager, Damien Austin.

“The priority is to have him not only 100% ready to play but 100% ready to continue to play once his season gets underway.”

Callum Ah Chee will also miss the trip to South Australia as he recovers from a quad strain. He is expected to return to skills training later this week.

An ankle injury continues to keep Darcy Gardiner on the sidelines. The seasoned defender underwent shoulder surgery in the off-season before suffering an ankle setback. He’ll be unavailable for Round 1 selection. 

The Brisbane Lions begin their 2023 campaign when they take on Port Adelaide at 3:35pm QLD time on Saturday. Catch the game on Foxtel, Kayo or 7Mate.

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