Jed Adcock missed Brisbane's only home final in the past 15 years through injury, but the current forward line coach says he doesn't count himself as unlucky.
Adcock broke his leg midway through the 2009 season and missed the Lions' come-from-behind elimination final win over Carlton at a packed Gabba later that season.
He returned to play in the losing semi-final against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG the following week.
It was the only final Adcock, who later captained the club for two years, would play in his 206-game Brisbane career.
On the eve of the Lions' return to September against Richmond on Saturday night, the 33-year-old said he was more excited for the club's younger players than he was disappointed at his own misfortune.
"I wouldn't say unlucky or anything like that when I was a player," Adcock said.
"Finals are really hard.
"A lot of players got through their footy career without playing finals. I'm a lot of games with only one final, but it was a nice ride.
"Would I change it for more finals? You'd probably change small things here and there. I had a good run, it wasn't my time at the time."
Adcock was drafted by Brisbane following its third successive premiership in 2003 and was just a raw, rarely used teenager during its 2004 run to the Grand Final.
He was coached by Leigh Matthews, Michael Voss and Justin Leppitsch before one season under Luke Beveridge at the Bulldogs in 2016.
Adcock said those experiences, tied to his time back at the Lions alongside coach Chris Fagan and football manager David Noble, had him feeling lucky he'd been exposed to so many vast, quality football brains.
And he had a message for the young Lions ahead of their battle with Richmond.
"You've got to cherish the moments you're in," he said.
"You play footy for the friends you make, you love the game, but to be in these high-pressure situations, finals, the crowd's going ballistic and the opportunity to hopefully continue on through the finals series.
"You just try and keep them relaxed and hopefully for a lot of the young guys out there this will be the first of many for them.
"We're trying to build this club for sustained success."
