The news was enough to make Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch “kick the cat a little bit”.

But captain Tom Rockliff says the Lions will purr along in 2015 after Pearce Hanley’s horror injury diagnosis thanks to a new-look midfield group he believes is the envy of the AFL.

Leppitsch did not hide his frustration after surgeons discovered Hanley’s hip complaint would sideline him for half the season – not the first month as first thought.

“I did kick the cat a little bit after I heard the news,” Leppitsch smiled.

“Particularly after last year with so many injuries, we were hoping we would get a bit of good luck.

“But let’s hope this is it.

“We are thinking of the positives when Pearce comes back and we are 12-zip and he can add to that.”

Rockliff admitted in the past the Lions would have hit the panic button without Hanley.

However, he said it was a mere “speed bump” this year after the off-season recruitment of Dayne Beams, Allen Christensen and Mitch Robinson and return of Jack Redden (ankle) and Daniel Rich (knee).

“Everyone looks at our team now and thinks it is a really good midfield,” he said.

“We probably have close to the most depth across the AFL now.

“Ideally we would love to have Pearcey out there … but we have a ready made replacement in Dayne Beams.”

Hanley confirmed he had initially considered playing through the hip pain and having season ending surgery.

“But if we had done that then it would have been career ending,” he told Lions TV.

“From what I have heard it was pretty bad when the surgeon got in there.

“I was devastated to be missing the first four games and now it has turned to be 10 or 12.

“I can’t be too upset. I have to rehab this right so I can come back around 10 or 12 weeks in.

“What was getting me through the pre-season was playing the Pies at the Gabba (in round one) but I will come back bigger and stronger in the second half.”

The Lions open their pre-season NAB Challenge against St Kilda on the Sunshine Coast on February 28.