After achieving the ultimate goal of a premiership in 2024, history and the loss of a key forward will present the Lions with a bigger challenge in 2025 to make it back-to-back premierships. Despite this, they took very little part in the trade period after the finals.
Top 100 game players lost: 2
The key forward we are talking about is, of course, Joe Daniher (eq No.67). Daniher was recruited from Essendon four seasons ago and became the focal point of the Lions’ strong forward line. Still only 30 years of age, Daniher retired with a premiership on his CV and a ranking as Brisbane’s 12th greatest goalkicker, to go along with equal 67th greatest game player with Craig Lambert on the hybrid Bears/Lions top 100 lists.
Journeyman Jarryd Lyons (No.61) played at three clubs and currently holds top 100 games positions at Brisbane and Gold Coast, having disappeared off the Adelaide games list this season.
Joe Daniher. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Top 100 game players recruited from other clubs: 0
Current top 100 game players: 18
Dayne Zorko (No.6) is the current leading game player at Brisbane. He currently sits in sixth position on the hybrid Brisbane list and a good year could see him move up to third spot.
With No.2 current player Harris Andrews (No.15 overall) and No.3 Ryan Lester (No.17) still running around, the Lions have three players inside the all-time top 100 at the club, backed up by another 15 current top 100 game players. If they are to mount another assault on the flag, they definitely have the firepower needed to do so.
Potential top 100 game players next season: 5
Like Adelaide, Brisbane have a number of players who – based on this year’s form – should make it into the elite category next season: Darcy Wilmot, Josh Dunkley, Conor McKenna, Deven Robertson and Jaspa Fletcher.
Players no longer qualified for the top 100 game players list: 0
Top 100 goalkickers lost: 2
Joe Daniher (No.12) is certain to remain on the list (and Essendon’s at No.28) for many decades to come and Jarryd Lyons (eq No.77) should also be able to claim the rare feat of being a top 100 goalkicker at three AFL clubs for a number of years yet.
Top 100 goalkickers recruited from other clubs: 0
Current top 100 goalkickers: 14
Charlie Cameron. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Despite the retirement of Joe Daniher, the Brisbane Lions are still able to boast three players inside the top 10 goalkickers of all time: Charlie Cameron (No.4), Eric Hipwood (No.7) and Dayne Zorko (No.9).
Having another 11 players ranked lower down the order is testament to a well-balanced attack, which includes Kai Lohmann (eq No.77) who, after one goal in his first two years, kicked 36 goals for the 2024 season and finished the year with the same tally as the retiring Jarryd Lyons.
Potential top 100 goalkickers next season: 1
With so many goalkickers on the list already, it’s no surprise that I predict only one, Keidean Coleman, is a chance to make the top 100 goalkickers list in 2025.
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