The value of a healthy list was on display last Sunday when a near full-strength Lions line-up secured a famous victory over flag fancies Geelong.

It was a vastly different looking side to the one that fell to Collingwood by 49 points at the Club’s last Gabba home match three weeks ago.

Since the Bye, Daniel Rich, Jonathan Brown, Daniel Merrett, Matthew Leuenberger, Tom Rockliff and Mitch Golby have all been welcomed back into the senior team, while Jared Polec, Patrick Wearden and Matt Maguire have returned through the NEAFL.

You can probably add Brent Moloney to the list too, considering he was subbed out of the Magpies game with a back complaint and missed the team’s trip to Perth to face Fremantle.

Moloney and Rich, in particular, were instrumental during the record-breaking comeback last Sunday.

The Lions approach this Sunday’s match against premiership favourites Hawthorn in Tasmania with only three names on their injury list – Stephen Wrigley (knee), Claye Beams (knee) and Stefan Martin (ankle).

That list could be trimmed further, with Martin a chance to play his first match in two months with the Lions Reserves on Friday night in Sydney.

“Stef’s going along pretty well. He trained this morning with the rehab group and is tracking along for this week,” Brett Burton told LIONS TV as part of the Bupa Recovery Report.

“The Reserves have got a game this Friday, so it’s a shortened turnaround for them, but he’s a possible chance for this week. He’ll train on Thursday and we’ll see how he pulls up from that.

“If not this week, then definitely next week.”

There were no new casualties from the weekend, outside of Sam Mayes suffering a minor ‘corkie’ and Jesse O’Brien sporting an impressive ‘shiner’ following an incident in the Club’s NEAFL clash.  

“Jesse’s fine, he just coped an innocuous knock to the eye. We’ve x-rayed that to make sure there was no damage,” Burton said.

“It’s an impressive bruise, but physically he’s fine. No breaks and nothing to be concerned about.”