Last weekend the Lions’ secured their second win over Hawthorn this season and showcased the burgeoning talent at the club. There’s potential in the talent at the club to again become a dominant AFL side like they were at the turn of the millennium. The first win over Hawthorn back in round nine at the Gabba was the strongest sign that Brisbane were finally turning the corner. It sparked a much better period of form since with the Lions miraculously on the longest winning streak in the league (3 games in a row) at the end of round 17.

The old Brisbane was marred by trade disasters, wayward coaching and player exoduses. The new look Lions are hard, fast, skilful and look close to taking a quantum leap up the list of contenders for a flag in the near future. Number 1 pick Cam Rayner has the power and explosiveness of Dusty. They have young and athletic key position players in Hipwood and Andrews up either end of the ground and the 2016 draft trio of McCluggage, Berry and Witherden all play with poise beyond their years.

Not every position is yet nailed down and Luke Hodge will likely retire for good at the end of the year but there’s still plenty more good young players to look to in the reserves. Starcevich and Bailey are two more first round players the Lions took last year. Cedric Cox was the 24th pick in the 2016 draft and he has talent in spades. Brisbane’s poor start to the year that resulted in eight straight losses with some heartbreaking close games will pay dividends too. A top five draft pick at the end of the year could net the Lions Geelong Falcon midfield prodigy Sam Walsh, the hard runner would be the final piece of the midfield.