Rising defender Mitch Golby has underlined the importance of injured Lions great Jonathan Brown playing on for a 15th AFL season.
Within hours of re-signing with fellow youngster Ryan Harwood, Golby said it was crucial Brisbane’s youthful list continued to feed off Brown’s aura, leadership and experience.
The 31-year-old’s career is at a crossroads after he tore his plantar fascia in his left foot in Saturday night’s 31-point win over St Kilda.
Brown, yet to commit to playing on in 2014, underwent scans on Monday and will know the extent of the injury and his rehabilitation on Tuesday.
The Lions co-captain has reiterated that he’ll wait until the end of the season before deciding his future but indicated the club’s direction will help make up his mind.
With fellow triple premiership star Simon Black almost certain to retire, Golby said Brown’s influence within an improving group remained large.
“They’re massive for us in leading the way,” 21-year-old Golby said on Monday.
“There’s a lot of us who are pretty inexperienced and just learning the ropes so blokes with their experience and presence at the footy club … are invaluable for us.”
Hard-running defensive pair Golby and Harwood, 22, both re-signed for two more seasons, joining Matthew Leuenberger, Dayne Zorko and Daniel Rich to extend contracts in the past couple of months.
“We’re developing a really strong culture here and obviously improving year to year so it was a no-brainer for me to sign on again,” Golby said.
Like the 12th-placed Lions, the Gippsland product has blossomed after a slow start to 2013.
Coach Michael Voss turned Harwood from a bullocking midfielder into a half-back last season and was rewarded with his new contract after a 21-disposal game against the Saints.
Golby said the Lions were eying Saturday’s clash against in-form Richmond as a chance to show their future credentials.
“They’ll be humming and it’s a big game for us down at the G with a big crowd there and it will be like a final for us,” he said.
“It’s something to prove.”
