The 5 Year Plan: Brisbane
The numbers for the players are their approximate ages in 5 years time. Of course, trades, injuries, drafts and unexpected retirements will affect what players are still around in 5 years. But this might be the core of the team when season 2011 starts.
FB C Begley 25, J Brennan 27, J Adcock 25
HB A Proud 23, D Merrett 26, J Roe 27
C M Moody 25, T Selwood 27, C Stiller 25
HF C Schmidt 23, M Clark 23, J MacDonald 26
FF M Leuenberger 23, J Brown 29, L Power 31
Foll C Wood 24, J Sherman 24, M Rischitelli 25
bench J Charman 29, S Sheldon 23, J Hawksley 23, J Attard 25
Outlook: They are going to be tall. No team in the AFL will have a better group of ruckmen than the Lions when Wood and Leuenberger are stronger and more experienced, and Charman will still be around too. Brown has plenty of years ahead of him too, the only possible problem for the Lions and their talls is in the back line. But they currently have a few options there and can use the drafts and trading to find some more tall players for their back half. The Lions' onballers are a young group at the moment, except for Power and Black, and if the Lions can keep all their youth they might develop together into a strong unit. The Lions could have some high draft picks in the coming years and if they add some more midfielders, and a tall defender or two, they are a chance to become a premiership contender again.
FB C Begley 25, J Brennan 27, J Adcock 25
HB A Proud 23, D Merrett 26, J Roe 27
C M Moody 25, T Selwood 27, C Stiller 25
HF C Schmidt 23, M Clark 23, J MacDonald 26
FF M Leuenberger 23, J Brown 29, L Power 31
Foll C Wood 24, J Sherman 24, M Rischitelli 25
bench J Charman 29, S Sheldon 23, J Hawksley 23, J Attard 25
Outlook: They are going to be tall. No team in the AFL will have a better group of ruckmen than the Lions when Wood and Leuenberger are stronger and more experienced, and Charman will still be around too. Brown has plenty of years ahead of him too, the only possible problem for the Lions and their talls is in the back line. But they currently have a few options there and can use the drafts and trading to find some more tall players for their back half. The Lions' onballers are a young group at the moment, except for Power and Black, and if the Lions can keep all their youth they might develop together into a strong unit. The Lions could have some high draft picks in the coming years and if they add some more midfielders, and a tall defender or two, they are a chance to become a premiership contender again.
