WITH season proper and trade period done and dusted, AFL fans and staff alike now turn their attention towards the draft (November 20-21). The chaos has momentarily settled on player and pick swaps, and budding prospects have completed their combines, leaving a nervous wait until they learn their fate.

In the next of our club-by-club draft previews, we take a look at Brisbane’s hand and offer insight into how the Lions may utilise the picks at their possession. Having broken through for a valiant Grand Final appearance, the Queensland club has already navigated trade period shrewdly.

LADDER FINISH: 2nd (17-6, 123.1%) | Eliminated: Grand Final
2023 PICKS: 30, 39, 51, 54, 67, 97
FUTURE PICKS: BRI R1, BRI R3, BRI R4, HAW R4
POTENTIAL ACADEMY/FATHER-SON PICKS: Patrick Snell (Academy)

FIRST PICK:
Pick 30

Coming into the draft at pick 30, predicting Brisbane’s first move is a bit like throwing enough darts to see if one lands. There are very few, if any glaring list gaps for the Lions to fill, with this year’s intake likely to be an exercise of expanding the club’s depth.

That said, the Lions have shown a few tendencies in their drafting and may go back to the well this year. The Greater Western Victoria region has been a happy hunting ground, with prospects George Stevens and Joel Freijah potentially in Brisbane’s hitting zone at pick 30.

The former is a big-bodied midfielder who would add readymade size and stoppage craft to an on-ball group which is flying, but a touch small and without star youngster Will Ashcroft. The latter is a hard-running wingman who offers much needed long-term support on the outside.

Despite having recruited Tom Doedee via free agency, his ACL tear may see Brisbane target tall defenders. West Australian bolter Zane Zakostelsky is one whose athleticism excites, while Gippsland utility Wil Dawson could be anything if given a shot.

Some clubs see Dawson more as a ruck-forward, so he may even be an option to bolster the former division behind Oscar McInerney and Darcy Fort. If that’s a priority for the Lions, then Taylor Goad would be hard to pass up if available as a highly developable, albeit very raw ruckman.

REMAINING CROP:

Brisbane has one more second-rounder and two third round selections to play with, along with a couple of very late picks. The standout Lions Academy member this year is 194cm defender Patrick Snell, who moves well for his size and has proven versatile over the journey.

Snell has garnered some interest from other clubs and stands a chance of attracting a bid late in the National Draft. The Lions will likely use two or three picks, with consideration given to its two club-tied guns for next year – father-son Levi Ashcroft and Academy star Sam Marshall, both midfielders.

With their club-tied talent in mind, perhaps outside run and tall depth is the way to go. The likes of Aiden O’Driscoll and Tarkyn O’Leary are hard-running, athletically gifted wingmen who fit the bill, while Clay Hall offers similar running power with the size and ball winning nous of a pure inside midfielder.

Others around the mark include silky and balanced midfielder Will Lorenz and South Australian bull Kane McAuliffe, who was a surprise star at the National Draft Combine. If intercept defenders are in Brisbane’s sights, Will Patton may appeal, and Nick Williams could be gettable via the Suns Academy.

KEY QUESTIONS:

– Will Brisbane trade out of this year’s draft with an eye on 2024?
– Can Brisbane extract value out of its mid-range picks?
– Will Patrick Snell land at the Lions in the National Draft?