In case you’ve been supremely busy, holidaying overseas or hiding under a rock for the past month, here’s what you might have missed during the Lions’ NAB Cup pre-season campaign…

RESULTS

Week One

Melbourne 0.2.1 (13) d Brisbane Lions 0.1.4 (10) @ Metricon Stadium, QLD

LIONS GOALS: Banfield
LIONS BEST: Beams, Lester, McGrath, Black, Yeo, Golby

In slippery conditions, the Lions dominated play for most of the match but failed to convert on the scoreboard before a goal late in the second half gave Melbourne their first lead of the match. James Polkinghorne had a chance to snatch victory for the Lions in the dying seconds, however it dribbled right and registered only a minor score.

Brisbane Lions 0.2.6 (18) d Gold Coast 0.2.4 (16) @ Metricon Stadium, QLD

LIONS GOALS: Lester, Harwood
LIONS BEST: Harwood, Hawksley, Lisle, Polec, Redden, Rockliff

The Lions looked lively and jumped out to an early lead, before tired legs (caused by playing consecutive games) set in. Gold Coast dominated play and peppered the goals late in the game, however the Lions’ defensive stood strong and held on for a narrow victory.

Week Two

Adelaide 0.14.9 (93) d Brisbane Lions 1.5.3 (42) @ Alice Springs, NT

LIONS GOALS: Rockliff, Beams, Bewick, McGrath (supergoal), Polec, Polkinghorne
LIONS BEST: Maguire, Redden, Rockliff, Golby, Stiller, Polkinghorne

A number of the senior Lions players were rested for the trip to The Alice, leaving a relatively inexperienced outfit to face the eventual 2012 NAB Cup Premiers. The Crows controlled the match from the outset and, despite some resistance from the Lions early in the third term, ran out comfortable winners.

Week Three

Brisbane Lions 0.14.15 (104) d Carlton 0.6.4 (40) @ Maroochydore, QLD

LIONS GOALS: Merrett 3, Rockliff 3, O'Brien 2 Beams 2, Longer 2, Black. Leuenberger, Karnezis
LIONS BEST: Black, Rockliff, Adcock, Merrett, Longer, Hanley

Boasting their strongest side of the pre-season, the Lions hosted an undermanned Carlton side on the Sunshine Coast and gave their local fans plenty to cheer about. After a tight first half, the Lions ran riot in a dominant second half while keeping the Blues scoreless.

Week Four

Essendon 0.16.16 (112) d Brisbane Lions 0.8.8 (56) @ Visy Park, VIC

LIONS GOALS: Longer 2, Black, Leuenberger, Rich, Merrett, Karnezis, Redden.
LIONS BEST: Hanley, Maguire, Polec, Golby, Black, Redden.

Unfortunately the Lions saved their most disappointing performance of the pre-season for last, and were outclassed by the improving Bombers. Save for a few promising signs from a collection of younger players, there was very little to cheer about for Lions fans during the final dress rehearsal before the season proper.

FINAL PRE-SEASON LADDER

With two wins from their five pre-season matches and a percentage of almost 84%, the Lions finished 13th overall on the 2012 NAB Cup ladder.

Adelaide went through the pre-season undefeated and took out the 2012 NAB Cup, defeating West Coast in last week’s Grand Final. Although the Eagles were Runners-Up, Hawthorn edged past them into second given the Hawks had a far superior percentage.

The final pre-season ladder was as follows:

1. Adelaide (5-0) 180%
2. Hawthorn (4-1) 177.7%
3. West Coast (4-1) 116.07%
4. Richmond (3-2) 131.6%
5. Port Adelaide (3-2) 124.3%
6. Sydney Swans (3-2) 115.4%
7. North Melbourne (3-2) 100%
8. Geelong (3-2) 98%
9. Collingwood (3-2) 86.3%
10. Fremantle (2-3) 110.7%
11. Essendon (2-3) 100%
12. Western Bulldogs (2-3) 90.1%
13. Brisbane Lions (2-3) 83.9%
14. St Kilda (2-3) 69%
15. Melbourne (2-3) 65.4%
16. Gold Coast (1-4) 76.3%
17. Greater Western Sydney (1-4) 62.5%
18. Carlton (0-5) 76.8%

INJURIES/RECOVERIES

The Lions have fortunately come out of the pre-season competition relatively unscathed compared to previous seasons.

The biggest injury news was undoubtedly Lions Captain Jonathan Brown who fractured his cheekbone during a training session. One week earlier, Brown had made his return in the Lions’ opening two NAB Cup matches. The injury will sideline the three-time Club Champion until the team’s Round 3 match against Fremantle.

Daniel Merrett and Daniel Rich made successful on-field returns after suffering minor complaints during the pre-season. Both featured in the final two NAB Cup matches and will be available for selection in the season opener.

Josh Drummond and draftee Sam Docherty also made their on-field returns in the final week of the pre-season with the Lions Reserves after undergoing off-season hip surgery. Both players will likely gain more match practice with the Reserves before pushing for senior selection.

Meanwhile, Dayne Zorko (hip), Andrew Raines (knee) and Brent Staker (knee) are the only players not to have played in at least one pre-season practice match (including seniors and reserves) in 2012. Staker will obviously miss the entire season following a full knee reconstruction, while Zorko and Raines are expected back early in the season.

STATS LEADERS

Senior NAB Cup Games
The Lions used a total of 38 players across their five senior NAB Cup matches - including Brad Harvey, Elliot Yeo, Billy Longer, Richard Newell, Patrick Wearden and Jack Crisp who experienced their first taste of senior AFL football.

Only six players - Matt Maguire, Jack Redden, James Polkinghorne, Claye Beams, Ryan Lester and Jesse O’Brien - featured in all five of the Club’s pre-season matches.

Please find below a complete list of Lions players with the number of senior 2012 NAB Cup matches played in brackets next to their name:

Jed Adcock (4)
Todd Banfield (4)
Callum Bartlett (0)
Claye Beams (5)
Rohan Bewick (3)
Simon Black (3)
Jonathan Brown (2)
Amon Buchanan (2)
Justin Clarke (0)
Aaron Cornelius (1)
Jack Crisp (3)
Sam Docherty (0)
Josh Drummond (0)
Josh Dyson (0)
Mitch Golby (4)
Josh Green (2)
Pearce Hanley (4)
Brad Harvey (2)
Ryan Harwood (2)
James Hawksley (3)
Ben Hudson (1)
Patrick Karnezis (3)
Ryan Lester (5)
Matthew Leuenberger (4)
Jordan Lisle (2)
Billy Longer (4)
Matt Maguire (5)
Ash McGrath (4)
Niall McKeever (3)
Daniel Merrett (2)
Sam Michael (0)
Richard Newell (1)
Jesse O’Brien (5)
Joel Patfull (4)
Jared Polec (4)
James Polkinghorne (5)
Andrew Raines (0)
Jack Redden (5)
Bryce Retzlaff (1)
Daniel Rich (2)
Tom Rockliff (3)
Sam Sheldon (4)
Brent Staker (0)
Cheynee Stiller (4)
Patrick Wearden (1)
Stephen Wrigley (0)
Elliot Yeo (2)
Dayne Zorko (0)

Most Goals
There was a mixed bag atop the Lions’ leading goal-kickers throughout the NAB Cup - including an 18 year-old first-year ruckman (Billy Longer), the team’s regular full-back (Daniel Merrett) and the reigning Club Champion (Tom Rockliff).

Merrett, however, only played two matches so finished with an average of two goals per game - the best among the team.

The full list of Lions goal-kickers are as follows:

4 - Billy Longer
4 - Daniel Merrett
4 - Tom Rockliff
3 - Claye Beams
2 - Matthew Leuenberger
2 - Simon Black
2 - Patrick Karnezis
2 - Jesse O’Brien
1 - Daniel Rich
1 - Jack Redden
1 - Rohan Bewick
1 - Ash McGrath
1 - Jared Polec
1 - James Polkinghorne
1 - Ryan Harwood
1 - Ryan Lester
1 - Todd Banfield

Most Disposals
Recently re-signed midfield dynamo Jack Redden collected 30 more dispoals than any other Lions player throughout the NAB Cup, but also played in all five matches.

Mitch Golby ranked second with 69 disposals - at an average of 17.25 per game - while midfield general Simon Black boasted the greatest average of just over 21 touches per game.

Here’s the top five possession winners throughout the pre-season:

99 - Jack Redden
69 - Mitch Golby
65 - Matt Maguire
64 - Simon Black
60 - Pearce Hanley
60 - Ryan Lester

Most Marks
Matt Maguire, who more than ably filled the full-back role in Merrett’s absence, took more marks than any other Lions player, although Mitch Golby finished one mark shy from one less game.

The players who took the most are as follows:

25 - Matt Maguire
24 - Mitch Golby
21 - Cheynee Stiller
18 - Claye Beams
18 - Jack Redden

Most Tackles
It was no surprises to see tackle machine Jack Redden atop the Lions list after he finished within the top five tacklers in the AFL competition in 2011.

The Lions’ top five tacklers during the NAB Cup were as follows:

17 - Jack Redden
15 - Simon Black
14 - James Polkinghorne
13 - Mitch Golby
12 - Matthew Leuenberger

PLAYER WATCH

While the likes of Jack Redden, Simon Black and Tom Rockliff were typically busy throughout the pre-season competition, it is the relative ‘lesser likes’ that are of more interest to fans at this stage of the season.

Lions fans would have been thrilled to see a number of inexperienced players stake a serious claim to a position in the senior team in Round 1.

Among the more prominent young players who look set to play more regular senior football in 2012 were Mitch Golby (8 senior games), Jared Polec (3), Ryan Lester (3), Claye Beams (5) and Jesse O’Brien (12).

Meanwhile, the Club’s first round selection from last year’s AFL National Draft, Billy Longer, has certainly not harmed his chances for a potential senior debut in Round 1. The 201cm ruckman was expected to take a little longer with his development, but has already shown plenty of promise throughout the NAB Cup.

Lions fans will be licking their lips with the prospect of having both Longer and Matthew Leuenberger working tandem in the ruck over the next decade.

WHAT NOW?

The Lions will face Melbourne in their season opener THIS Saturday 31 March at the MCG, hoping to kick-off their 2012 campaign with a win in front of the Club’s Victorian fans.

The Round One team will be announced on Thursday evening so be sure to keep posted to lions.com.au for further updates.