IT'S NOT going to be easy to break into the Brisbane Lions forward line this year if you're a young key forward.

The club has already got the best power forward in the game in skipper Jonathan Brown, and despite losing fellow spearhead Daniel Bradshaw, the recruitment of controversial Carlton goal-kicking machine Brendan Fevola should more than fill that gap.

But second-year Lion Aaron Cornelius knows that it's about putting his head down and working away - which he's doing, although he's surprised with some of the results he's getting.

The 2009 AFL Media Guide lists the 19-year-old as 192cm and 86kg, but another season of footy and good physical conditioning staff have seen that increase nicely.

Cornelius played one game in 2009 - the round-nine clash with the Saints - the team he followed as a youngster, and he said the experience showed him how much work - including in the gym - was required to play the game regularly.

"Interestingly enough, I've improved in height as well," he said with a laugh. "I think I'm about 194 now and about 90kgs so the programs must be doing two things. I think they're stretching me out and putting some weight on.

"To play at the highest level, you've got to have that physicality and I supposed I realised that when I played on Kosi (Justin Koschitzke).

"Playing in the reserves or the Under-18s, I suppose talent can get you through, but when you get to the highest level you need to be physical with the bigger guys, so the gym isn't really something I can choose, I had to get in there and do the work.

"It's been enjoyable to see the improvements in the gym, in the weights, and I'm looking forward to getting into the games to try out the new weight and strength that I have, to see how much I've improved."

Despite being drafted as a forward, Cornelius came into the side to play as a defender when it seemed that every tall player in the Lions backline was injured.

He admitted the task was a daunting one, especially given he was matched up on St Kilda star Koschitzke, but said he took a lot away from the experience, even managing to kick a couple of goals later in the game after being moved away from the Saints gun.

"It was very challenging - he's a very experienced and talented player, one of the better forwards in the league.

"So I was learning things off him as well - running patterns, the way he attacks the footy. I was learning the defensive things, but also learning what it takes to be a forward, so I think I got both things out of it.

"Growing up supporting those guys made it a bit weird, as you'd always dreamt of running out with the Saints, but it was even better to run out with the Lions and play against those guys."

There was no shortage of AFL superstars when Cornelius got to the club, but he admitted that the club's aggressive trading strategy had increased the star factor.

"It's quite different - when you first come to the club and Jonathan Brown and Simon Black introduce themselves to you, and you feel like saying 'Oh, no need to introduce yourself mate, I watch you each weekend', and it's the same with Fev.

"Being a forward, you grow up watching those sorts of guys and idolising them, and to walk past them in the hallway and have a conversation, mate, it's surreal."

Cornelius is a proud Tasmanian, and is thrilled to have so many compatriots at the club, with Justin Sherman, Tom Collier, Bart McCulloch and Ryan Harwood all hailing from his home state.

"Oh yeah, we've got the Tassie mafia going up here," he said with a laugh. "It's good to see there's a lot of good talent coming out of the state, and the Lions have certainly noticed that, we've got some great Tassie players up here.

"And it's not only the players, we've got Jade Rawlings, Adrian Fletcher and Manny Lynch on the coaching staff, and they're all from Tassie.

"So we must be doing the right thing down in the Apple Isle."