Written off pre-season for lacking enough talent and experience, Brisbane’s emerging young brigade believe the Lions are now heading in the right direction.
Mobile ruckman Matthew Leuenberger and Irish speedster Pearce Hanley pointed to Saturday’s opening-round 41-point thumping of Melbourne – their first AFL win at the MCG in three years – as a huge sign of improvement.
The Lions won only four matches in 2011 as they finished a deflating 15th but Leuenberger and Hanley said they were quickly becoming a more mature outfit.
The pair are two of eight Brisbane players aged between 21 and 23 who either notched 50 AFL matches last season or are poised to this year.
Star veteran Simon Black expects his 50-game teammates to now become more consistent contributors and Hanley said the number of rising youngsters would ensure a significant boost.
“Definitely, there’s a lot of boys pushing through and there’s a few leaders coming through the younger group and taking a bit of pressure off Blacky and the older guys,” said the 35-gamer, who kicked two goals off half-back against the Demons.
“There’s a good mix now where we can push forward and win a few more games.”
Tom Rockliff was the Lions’ club champion in 2011 but has just 41 games under his belt, while Daniel Rich (63), James Polkinghorne (62), Jack Redden (55), Todd Banfield (42) and Sam Sheldon (41) are also among the young brigade.
Leuenberger, the most experienced of the Lions’ young guns with 67 games, described it as a “massive” factor in emerging from the rut of the past two seasons.
“The past few years we’ve also lost a lot of players who have played around the 100-game mark in regards to (Michael) Rischitelli, (Jared) Brennan, (Justin) Sherman and even (Mitch) Clark,” he said.
“With experience a lot of things tend to happen in a good way for a footy club.
“Now’s that time when we’re all coming along together. We’ve still got a long way to go but hopefully we’re going in the right direction.”
Brisbane coach Michael Voss will receive a true gauge of the Lions’ improvement on Easter Thursday when they take on Carlton at the Gabba following a five-day turnaround.
But Leuenberger said there was a spring in the step after enjoying the “odd feeling” of having a match parcelled up at three-quarter time on Saturday.
“We only won four games last year so to get off to a winning start and win by 40-odd points is great,” he said. “It was really important to break that trend real early and it really helps us to build something from there.”