IT WASN’T long ago the long-term future of Brisbane’s playing list was being called into question.
Critics had painted a dark cloud over the Gabba as James Aish and Jack Redden had followed five previous top-30 draft picks out the door. Matthew Leuenberger also made his way out of the Club.
But what a difference a month makes.
The Lions on Tuesday night completed a draft swoop. But the givens the footy world expected them to claim — Josh Schache, Eric Hipwood and Ben Keays — had little to do with it.
In the aforementioned trio, Brisbane received the best key forward of this year’s draft crop, in addition to two gun academy talents that were both rated inside the top 25. Those players alone would have been enough to satisfy Lions recruiters.
But to have two further picks at 39 and 47 gave the Lions a couple of free swings to take the best available talent.
And they did.
Rhys Mathieson, once rated as one of Victoria’s best midfielders after superb TAC Cup and national carnival campaigns, was among the biggest sliders, eventually taken at 39.
A grunt inside midfielder, Mathieson’s clean hands at stoppages, as well as his ability to consistently win his own football would have undoubtedly appealed to the Lions.
“He’s an inside machine and hopefully our clearance numbers, with players we have brought in through trades and the draft are going to improve,” Brisbane recruiting manager Stephen Conole told lions.com.au
Keays and Mathieson’s arrival at the Gabba will complement the acquisitions of Tom Bell, Ryan Bastinac and Jarrad Jansen via trades. It adds to an already well-stocked midfield that consists of Tom Rockliff, Dayne Beams and Dayne Zorko.
Meanwhile, 196cm key defender Sam Skinner was well liked by a host of clubs, shooting into draft contention with his feistiness and love for the contest.
Missing the back-end of the season with a knee injury hurt Skinner’s chances to go earlier in the draft, but the Lions didn’t miss the opportunity to grab another steal, selecting Skinner with pick 47.
“We really liked Sam through the 16s and 17s,” Conole said. “He’s another who can play at both ends and we’re just trying to compile young tall and talented boys who can take our club into the future.”
All of a sudden, Brisbane’s back six — despite its inexperience — doesn’t look too shabby.
Skinner joins academy kids Harris Andrews, who excelled in his debut season, and 200cm athletic beast Hipwood.
Still, holes remain the forward line.
Pressure will weigh on the shoulders of Schache, taken at pick 2 on Tuesday following a season that included 58 goals from 16 games in the TAC Cup and national championships.
Schache’s talent is undoubted, but he still needs a foil as he develops — one that perhaps new Geelong recruit Josh Walker will be able to provide.
Importantly, Brisbane now also has players that genuinely want to be at the club.
Queensland kids Hipwood, Keays, Andrews and Liam Dawson have been taken from the Lions’ academy, while Schache has already reaffirmed his commitment to the cause.
Furthermore, players such as Beams, Bell, Bastinac, Jansen, Walker, Mitch Robinson and Allen Christensen have requested trades to the Lions.
“We didn’t just take them because they’re Queensland boys. We rated them,” Console added.
The dark clouds over the Gabba might just be receding.
