While much of the hype from the Brisbane Lions’ latest crop of draftees surrounds midfield pair James Aish and Lewis Taylor, the 2013 AFL National Draft could prove a more defining moment for the Club’s defence.

With an ageing backline, the Lions identified a real need to bolster their stock of key defenders.

And with Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull and Matt Maguire all turning 30 next year and in the twilight of their careers, it was critical for the Club to begin planning for the future.

New Senior Coach Justin Leppitsch certainly knows a thing or two about playing down back – having been selected as centre half-back in the AFL All Australian side on multiple occasions as a player – and believes the Club addressed its needs at Thursday night’s Draft.

“We’re really rapt. We got everything we wanted,” Leppitsch said.

“In the 20s, we really targeted the tall defenders and got Darcy Gardiner, who we rated as the best key defender in the Draft.

“Then we wanted to get some of those taller hybrid type of defenders – and and we ended up getting two of them in Daniel McStay and Tom Cutler.

“Needs-wise, we basically got everything we wanted.”

The defensive flavour continued late into the Draft, with the Club using its final selection to upgrade rookie Justin Clarke onto the senior list.

The Lions are now hopeful that those four names – Clarke, Gardiner, McStay and Cutler – can help form the nucleus of the side’s backline into the next decade.

Leppitsch felt the Club was also able to inject some genuine class, pace, and hardness into the midfield group.

“We got our gun mid in Aish, and then Lewy (Taylor) came in late and we really didn’t think he'd still be there,” Leppitsch said.

“Then we were able to add some run and hardness with Nick Robertson – he’s a real tough nut, so we’re looking forward to seeing how he goes.”