List Manager, Peter Schwab, spoke with Lions TV ahead of the upcoming AFL Trade and Draft Period. See the main points below.
On an experienced forward:
"Key forwards are hard to get, but we've also got some good young players coming through.
"At this stage, I don’t think we’ll get an experienced key forward through the trade period."
On retaining players:
“It's the great unknown, we’ve only had one player express interest in leaving who is in contract and that’s Jack Redden.
"Ultimately Jack's a contracted player and and we can hold him to that contract."
On possible compensation for Redden:
"There are a couple of clubs who have shown interest, West Coast in particular.
"We'll be looking for the best possible outcome if we do decide to trade - be that draft picks or maybe some potential players coming in."
On Leuenberger:
"Leuey's a free agent, I think it's clear that he's looking at his options.
"I would say now that Leuenberger won’t be at the Lions next year.
On recruiting a ruckman:
“I think it makes sense for us to look at a ruckman, and mainly someone with experience, because I do think we need that extra depth in that part of the ground.
"I can’t tell you who that will be... but we are certainly looking in that area."
On the Hyundai Help for Kids Lions Academy:
"The bidding process has changed this year.
"We get a 20% discount on a points system and the points align with a draft pick.
"Because we've got two boys we’re very keen on in the Academy and we think they'll go reasonably early, that’s going to cost us draft picks...
"The great unknown especially with the Academy is who else will bid on the players."
“I think that the Lions Academy is producing some really good players.
Eric Hipwood and Ben Keys are the two highest ranked players, we think there’s a fair bit of depth in the academy."
On Josh Schache
“Josh is a big lad, he’s a very good mark, he’s mobile, a beautiful kick.
A good long-term prospect, we hope that with our first selection (pick 2) we might be able to select him.
I can see that he’d be a long-term key position player for the Brisbane Lions.”
