Senior Oscar McInerney (2016-)

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McInerney Punching Above The Rest

Ruckmen often get a bum wrap in AFL commentary in relation to their football ‘smarts’. How often do you hear ‘don’t ask him to do two things at once … he’s only a ruckman.” It’s a light-hearted industry stereotype.

And when it comes Brisbane ruckmen it is downright wrong. Some of the smartest players in club history have been long-term ruckmen, and not just on the field.

Inaugural captain Mark Mickan and club champions Matthew Clarke and Stefan Martin were legitimate top-end academics, and premiership trio Clark Keating, Beau McDonald, Jamie Charman are no dummies. Likewise Matthew Leuenberger and Ben Hudson, a qualified physiotherapist who only played with the club for one season but is now on the coaching staff.

So Brisbane have been the exception to the ‘only a ruckman’ theory. And it’s an exception that is now being carried on very capably by qualified accountant and ruck spearhead Oscar McInerney.

Set to play his 100th AFL game in Thursday night’s elimination final against Richmond at the Gabba, McInerney has been one of the great AFL stories in recent years – on and off the field.

The hugely popular 205cm giant will be only the fifth ruckman in Brisbane history to play 100 AFL games for the club behind Keating (139), Clarke (130), Charman (129) and Leuenberger (108).

On a return on investment basis, the former Casey Scorpions Reserves player is rolled gold.

Drafted with pick #37 in the AFL Rookie Draft in 2016, McInerney was the 91st player taken in his draft year, and the ninth ruckman behind five players taken in the National Draft and three in the Rookie Draft.

Preferred to McInerney in the National Draft were Western Bulldogs’ Tim English (pick #19), Fremantle’s Sean Darcy (#38), Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea (#43), Sydney draftee turned Collingwood player Darcy Cameron (#48) and Geelong draftee turned now delisted StKilda recruit Ryan Abbott (#69).

Taken ahead of him in the Rookie Draft were Essendon’s Sam Draper (pick #1), Port Adelaide draftee turned Sydney player Peter Ladhams (#9) and St.Kilda’s Rowan Marshall (#10).

Yet among the ruck class of 2016 28-year-old McInerney will be the first to 100 games. And among 123 first-time draftees overall in 2016 only 13 players in total, including Brisbane first-rounders Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry, have played 100 games.

And McInerney, 4th in the Merrett/Murray Medal in 2020, 7th last year and expected to finish top 10 again this year, compares favorably in the respective club awards. Only Marshall, 2nd at St.Kilda in 2019 and 4th in 2020, Darcy, winner at Fremantle in 2021, and English, 8th at the Bulldogs in 2020, have finished top 10.

His 1023 career possessions is behind only Marshall (1334), English (1175) and Darcy (1037), his 45 goals behind only English (47), equal with Marshall (45) and ahead of Darcy (34), with 120 contested marks and 257 tackles, McInerney out-ranks Marshall (117 contested marks and 246 tackles), Darcy (85 contested marks and 233 tackles) and English (100 contested marks and 224 tackles).
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McIvor said:
My footy researcher son found out somewhre that Oscar is the 50th player to notch up his 100th for the Brisbane Lions - does not include Bears or Fitzroy games - Oscar's story is one of my favourites particulalry working as Xmas tree delivery guy.
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This is a cool stat - tell your son it made me smile.
 

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All The Winners 2022 Club Champion

8:16pm - Oscar McInerney voted as Players' Player for 2022

Oscar McInerney has won this year’s Player’s Player Award.

Each week, players were asked to vote on who they felt best reflected the values they strive for as a group, with great emphasis placed on acts that benefitted the team as a whole and not necessarily the individual.

The ‘Big O’ was deemed such, with the popular ruckman now a two-time winner of the award.

Often applauded for his selflessness and team-first approach, McInerney embodies the values within the four walls of the Club and is a deserving recipient.
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‘Powerful thing’: What’s hurting Brisbane Lions

Lions ruckman Oscar McInerney says the Brisbane midfield must take responsibility for the “momentum” swings haunting his team.
The Lions were blown out of the water in round 1 by a Port Adelaide side that ran wild in the third quarter in which Brisbane was outscored 52-8.

Similar spells last season from round 10 onwards in which opponents in seven matches went on a scoring spree with little or no resistance from Brisbane were also a cause for concern.

“Momentum’s a powerful thing in footy these days.” McInerney said.

“We can see so many goal swings in games these days, so it’s how you’ll be able to stop that and how you can shift it.

“As a midfield group we’ve got to be take responsibility for that and the working together in our lines.

“We’ve got to come together … slow that momentum and get that momentum back on our terms as well.”

Winning possession from the centre bounce can stem a side’s momentum, and McInerney faces arguably his toughest rucking assignment of the season at the Gabba on Friday night when he takes on the might of Melbourne big men Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy.

“They’ve really set the mould for ruckmen the way they get it in the air and then on the ground – it’s first class,” the Lions giant said.

“We’ll have to pull that apart and see how we’re going to defend that.

“What an opportunity to take on two of the best in probably the last 10 years. They’ve been absolutely incredible.”
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McInerney and Lester Sign On

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Brisbane Lions duo Oscar McInerney and Ryan Lester have committed to new deals with the Club, just weeks out from their 2023 finals campaign.

McInerney, who was already contracted for 2024, has signed on for a further two years until the end of 2026, while Lester has re-committed for the 2024 season with a new one-year deal.

Lions General Manager Football, Danny Daly, said the Club was thrilled to have the pair remaining at Brighton Homes Arena.

“Oscar and Frog (Lester) are both very valuable to us on the field, but they are also two great people that are much-loved and really help build the great culture we have at the Club,” he said.
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“Oscar is an outstanding ruck and continues to give our midfield great opportunities. He works hard to improve his game each week and will be a key player for us come finals and again for the three seasons.”
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McInerney, the Lions 204-centimetre ruckman, has gone from being rookie drafted in 2016 to becoming one of the most valuable big men in the AFL.

The 29-year-old has remained loyal to the Club as he looks to experience further success as a Lion.

“As soon as the Club and my manager put forward the idea of extending, I couldn’t get it signed quick enough, I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to continue on with this great Club,” McInerney said.

“I absolutely love the Club, the boys and all the coaches and staff who make it such a great place to come in every day and work toward achieving the ultimate prize.

“Now I am just keen to put the head down, chip away and improve as a group and individual and see how far we can go over the next few years.”
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Lion McInerney grounded, grateful on path to AFL final

A cricket club in Melbourne's east felt the loss of Oscar McInerney when the ruckman finally cracked an AFL list.

The 22-year-old mature-age rookie's selection by the Brisbane Lions in 2017 meant Ringwood Cricket Club needed a new social committee member, junior coach and someone to man the canteen on Friday nights.

McInerney, a left-arm offspinner, had filled all those roles for the club while toiling for Casey's VFL development team, whose home ground was a three-hour return train ride from his Croydon home.

"I was just playing (cricket) on the mats with my mates, on the social committee, club cleaner, canteen, under-16 coach ... that was just the way," the now 29-year-old told AAP ahead of Saturday's grand final clash with Collingwood.

"They're unbelievable; I love getting back there and the messages are already flowing."

Known as 'The Big O', McInerney's patient path to the AFL - back injuries spoiled his junior rise - means he has not taken any of his 125 games for granted.

And he still finds other ways to contribute, becoming heavily involved with the Lions' AFLW side as a ruck coach.

"I had a different journey to get here and it's held me in good stead," he said.

"I was heavily involved at the cricket club, but as a pro your hobby becomes your job so you need to find other avenues.

"(AFLW coaching) is still footy, but it is a great way to get into something else and they've taught me plenty.

"Tahlia (Hickie) hopefully will be the All-Australian ruck, an absolute superstar."

McInerney has been preoccupied this week though, his thoughts taken up by how to counter the Magpies' ruck duo of Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox.

He says Cox's wingspan and Cameron's football IQ create a tricky proposition.

It was Melbourne star Max Gawn who orchestrated a one-point comeback win over Brisbane earlier this season, dominating his Lions opposite in a pivotal final quarter.

"Ruck's one of the few one-on-one spots ... it's unique isn't it, even just the hit-out column; people scroll to there and make out what they like," McInerney mused.

"That night, Max was incredible.

"I'm getting that opportunity each week against a great ruckman, getting my pants pulled down a fair bit.

"You can mull on it or get on the computers and try and learn. And what a great lesson that was from one of the great ruckmen."

McInerney keeps things simple, belying his bashful off-field persona to build his game around competitiveness and creating for his prolific midfield and forward line.

It was his work in the middle that helped turn the tide against Carlton last weekend and ensure he lives out "a genuine childhood dream".

"It was a long night Saturday after the game, just that adrenalin," he said.

"I was over the moon and now you're building again."

The Lions will have their main session at the Gabba on Thursday, with key defender Jack Payne's (ankle) fitness to be tested before they fly to Melbourne.
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Brisbane Lions Announce Updated Leadership Group

The Brisbane Lions have also selected a nine-person leadership group for the 2024 season.

Rounding out the group is Charlie Cameron, Cam Rayner, Brandon Starcevich, Jarrod Berry and Oscar McInerney.
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From the Rooms: Rd 15 Oscar McInerney

The Brisbane Lions have made it three wins on the trot. We chat with Brisbane ruckman Oscar McInerney post-match about the teams recent win at Adelaide Oval
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Melbourne Milestone For McInerney

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Oscar McInerney this week will achieve a milestone that eight years ago even he admits was less than unthinkable. He’ll play his 140th game to become the most experienced ruckman in Brisbane history.

“The Big O” will go past triple premiership ruckman Clark Keating on a quality list of big men who have made the centre circle their domain since untried South Australian ruckman Mark Mickan was the Brisbane Bears’ inaugural captain in 1987.

And while there are no 200-game Brisbane ruckmen, Stefan Martin (133 games), Matthew Clarke (130), Jamie Charman (129), Matthew Leuenberger (108), Beau McDonald (91), Mitch Clark (82), Mickan (48) and Dylan McLaren (48) also spent an extended time in the ruck, and won some special accolades.

Charman (2003) and McDonald (2001-02) shared the premiership hat-trick with Keating, while McLaren partnered Keating in the 2004 grand final. Clarke and Martin were club champions and with Leuenberger, Clark and Charman they had 15 top 10 finishes in the Merrett/Murray Medal.

McInerney, set to break the club record against arch rival Max Gawn and Melbourne at the Gabba on Friday night, offers a disbelieving laugh when mentioned in such company.

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Indeed, it is an extraordinary effort by a player drafted effectively from the VFL Reserves with pick #37 in the 2016 rookie draft – pick #114 overall that year. He is the club’s best value ruck pick-up. Easily.

The journey of the soon-to-be 30-year-old began at suburban Croydon in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs, the junior club of Damian Cupido, South African-born forward taken by the Lions at pick #6 in the 1999 National Draft.

He was never considered for the junior talent pathway and not until he had a major growth spurt of more than 10cm in Year 12 did he even consider a crack at a higher level. “I was just like every kid in Victoria who liked have a kick with his mates. When I shot up I thought ‘why not?’ I figured I’d play a few games, find out I wasn’t any good, and go back to Croydon,” he said.

He went to Casey even though it presented a serious logistical problem for a young man without a driver’s license. He’d catch a train out to Casey several times a week.

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Why no licence? “Ï didn’t like driving,” he said simply of what was his own little secret. “I didn’t want any of my mates to know. I was going to Uni in the city so I just told people it was easier to catch a train,” he confessed.

In 2016 he played five senior games at Casey in the VFL and 20 games in the VFL Reserves, otherwise known as the Development League.

His first VFL game in Round 3 was against Williamstown and local legend Nick Meese, a seven-time VFL Team of the Year choice and 2021 VFL Life Member. “He wasn’t so tall but he taught me a lesson about ruck craft,” he recalled.

Later in the year he played against Footscray and AFL pair Will Minson and Tom Campbell. “They just bullied me … I was as green as you could be.”

But McInerney did well enough one level down to win what turned out to be the development league’s last B&F medal and earn an invitation to the Draft Combine.

“I ended up speaking to a few clubs but I’m sure it was just a curiosity thing for most of them .. thinking ‘what’s this bloke doing here?’. They recorded the interviews and I’d hate to watch them back now. Ï was so nervous and so naïve. I couldn’t believe it was all happening,” he said.

“They said to me ‘you’re going to need a manager’ and I said ‘what’s a manager?”

But Brisbane were no tyre-kickers. McInerney met a club delegation at a café in Croydon which included then coach Justin Leppitsch, but he wasn’t getting his hopes up. And when Leppitsch was sacked at the end of the season he worried the landscape would change.

The 2016 National Draft was held on Friday 25 November in Sydney 50 days after Chris Fagan was appointed coach. He tuned in not expecting to be drafted … and wasn’t. Instead the Lions drafted Hugh McCluggage (#3), Jarrod Berry (#17), Alex Witherden (#23), Cedric Cox (#24) and Corey Lyons (#71) after having previously traded in Jack Frost from Collingwood.

But having been through the pre-draft process McInerney admits he did dare to dream ahead of the rookie draft the following Monday.

There was no television coverage – you just followed it pick by pick over the internet – and McInerney did exactly that on the train heading out to Casey for training.

But reception was dodgy, and he got a mountain of text messages from mates saying ‘congratulations’ before he even learned where he was going. “The first hour was mayhem,” he recalled, later pounded with text messages from his new teammates after word got around.

It was a big rookie draft. Sam Draper went to Essendon at #1 and Brisbane picked up GWS one-gamer Jake Barrett #2 before a host of soon-to-be AFL regulars … Tyson Stengle was #6 to Richmond, Peter Ladhams #9 to Port, Rohan Marshall #10 to StKilda, Cam Zurhaar #11 to North, #16 Jack Henry to Geelong, #20 Mitch Hinge to Brisbane, #33 Zac Guthrie to Geelong and #34 Robbie Fox to Sydney. And McInerney at #37.

The following day – “or maybe it was the next day” – McInerney was on a plane to Brisbane with McCluggage, Berry, Witherden, Cox and Lyons.

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He stayed initially at Camp Hill with teammates Rohan Bewick and Michael Close. They were “two of the best,” he said. And luckily, both were drivers. His no-license status went unnoticed.

But the deception wouldn’t last forever. Getting a licence in Brisbane wasn’t an option because of the requirement to have logged 20 hours of driving. He hadn’t done it. But there was no such obligation in Melbourne so before Christmas he snuck home to finally put the matter to bed.

“Nobody up here ever knew I didn’t drive,” he recounted, admitting he was “so nervous” doing his test in Melbourne knowing a fail would have had dire ramifications.

The ever-personable McInerney, insistent he felt “so badly” out of place, worked hard in an eye-opening stint at the Lions before Christmas, and in February he got his own place in Coorparoo with girlfriend now wife Rachel. They’d been together since he was “15 or 16”.

As the last of the Lions draftees, McInerney had last choice of the available jumper numbers. Except there wasn’t a choice. The only one left was #46.

It was a number that had been worn by only six Brisbane players – David Wearne (16 games), Travis Baird (2), Irishman Colm Begley (29), Broc McCauley (3), Sam Michael (3) and Billy Evans (7) – and most often for Fitzroy by, oddly enough, 1990 Brisbane coach and Queensland Team of the Century coach Norm Dare. He wore it 13 time before switching to #2 and later #9.

“My first thought was to go after Begley’s record but after a while I decided to keep it and make it my own,” said McInerney, now ranked second-all-time for AFL games in #46 behind only Geelong’s Mark Blicavs (259) and fifth for goals in #46.

Having relished the chance to train in his first season in Brisbane with Stefan Martin, who had played four years (2013-16) with Brisbane after five years with Melbourne (2008-12), McInerney shared ruck duties in the Lions Reserves in 2017 with Archie Smith.

So good was he that he won the Reserves’ B&F as he watched Barrett (Round 1), Frost (Round 2), McCluggage and Berry (Round 3), Cox (Round 4), Witherden (Round 14) and local rookie Allison and 2015 draftee Sam Skinner (Round 19) step up into the AFL side.

The trend continued as #1 pick Cam Rayner and recruits Luke Hodge and Charlie Cameron wore Brisbane colors for the first time in Round 1 2018, and 2017 draftee Zac Bailey followed in Round 4.

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In Round 5 the Lions lost by five points to Gold Coast at the Gabba, and in Round 6, after Fagan rested Hodge and dropped Ryan Bastinac, Daniel Rich returned from injury and McInerney, 292 days beyond his 23rd birthday, became Brisbane player #313. He was player #1451 on the combined Brisbane-Fitzroy list.

He played 16 of a possible 17 games in his first season, dropped in Round 22 when Fagan chose to use Josh Walker to partner Martin in the ruck against Gold Coast at the Gabba, and has played 133 of a possible 139 games since.

He shared ruck duties with Martin in 2019 and took over as the Lions #1 man when Martin was injured for much of 2020 before going to the Western Bulldogs in 2021.

Now, having been ko’d two minutes into his 100th game in the 2022 elimination final against Richmond, he’s finished 4th-7th-9th-9th in the 2020-21-22-23 club championship in a side at the pointy end of the AFL ladder and is one of the most respected ruckmen in the competition.

Significantly, he shares with Keating the record of most finals for a Brisbane ruckman at 11 and last season had a club record 845 ruck hit-outs. Only nine players in AFL history have had more. He is second behind Martin for all-time Brisbane possessions and hit-outs, and third for goals behind Keating and Mitch Clark (who both played significant time as a permanent forward).

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Having qualified as an accountant just before moving to Brisbane, McInerney once did work experience at the Price Waterhouse Coopers practice of Lions chairman Andrew Wellington. And as much as he made quiet an impression in a suit and tie he admits it was more a time which “reminded me how fortunate I am to be a professional footballer”.

These days, too, he’s a doting father after he and Rachel welcomed son Finn on 24 August last year. Pictures with the baby in the Lions rooms after the 2023 grand final are epic.

Having last August extended his contract until the end of 2026 and now destined to finish his career with the Lions, he says living in Brisbane separated from family is “tough” but admits he “absolutely loves” the local lifestyle .. and climate.

Humble beyond humble, as polite and respectful as you’ll find, without a skerrick of an ego (beyond that required to play professional sport), he’s not a typical AFL ruckman. Not even close.

After TV cameras recently caught him in a push-and-shove recently flying the proverbial flag for a teammate, he admitted in a post-match interview it was “all front”.

He insists he is “not cool and not tough”, and although he more than holds his own in the physical stuff that is part of the life of an AFL ruckman, he says in typically self-effacing fashion “you’ve just got to fake it for two hours each week”.

He ‘faked it’ so well in the Lions’ 79-point win over Port Adelaide in Adelaide on Saturday he was arguably best afield with 18 possessions (15 contested), a career-best three goals, nine score involvements, eight clearances and 31 hit-outs as he continues to thrive in what is the last surviving truly specialist position in the game.

One of 27 specialist ruckmen to play with Brisbane, McInerney ranks prominently in rarely-highlighted statistics specific to the big men. In what is a good trivia quiz and a walk down memory lane for long-time supporters, in chronological order the ruckman have been:-

Mark Mickan – 48 games - 1987-90
Neil Hein – 15 games – 1987-88
Adam Garton – 3 games – 1987-88
Alex Ishchenko – 42 games – 1989-91
Jason Millar – 1 game - 1991
Shane Strempel – 2 games - 1991
Ian Kidgell – 3 games - 1991
Matt Rendell – 13 games - 1992
Matthew Clarke – 130 games – 1993-99
Damian Bourke – 22 games – 1993-95
Brent Green – 5 games – 1995-97
Clark Keating – 139 games – 1996-2006
Beau McDonald – 91 games – 1998-2007
Trent Knobel – 13 games – 2000-01
Jamie Charman – 129 games – 2001-09
Dylan McLaren – 46 games – 2001-05
Cameron Wood – 16 games – 2005-07
Mitch Clark – 82 games – 2006-11
Matthew Leuenberger – 108 games – 2007-15
Broc McCauley – 3 games - 2011
Ben Hudson – 18 games - 2012
Billy Longer – 9 games – 2012-13
Stefan Martin – 133 games – 2013-20
Trent West – 16 games – 2014-16
Archie Smith – 16 games – 2016-20
Oscar McInerney – 139 games – 2018-Current
Darcy Fort – 27 games – 2022-Current

WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY ….

DRAFT BARGAINS

McInerney isn’t the only value-plus ruck pick-up. Mickan was a start-up concession from South Australia and Keating and Charman were Queensland zone concessions. Matthew Clarke was pick #42 in the 1992 Pre-Season Draft, McLaren pick #9 in the 2000 Pre-Season Draft, McDonald pick #73 in the 1997 National Draft, and Martin was traded in for picks #52 and #71.

MORE ‘EXPENSIVE’

The Lions have invested four first-round picks in the National Draft on ruckmen – Leuenberger (#4), Longer (#8), Mitch Clark (#9) and Wood (#18). And Ishchenko traded pick #2 in the 1988 National Draft to West Coast for Ishchenko.

TOP 10 B&F FINISHES

5 - Stefan Martin – T1st (2015), 3rd (2016-18), 4th (2017), 7th (2019)
4 - Matthew Clarke – 1st (1997), 2nd (1994-96), 4th (1995)
4 - Oscar McInerney – 4th (2020), 7th (2021), 9th (2022-23)
3 - Matthew Leuenberger – 6th (2011-13), 9th (2010)
2 – Jamie Charman – 6th (2006), T10th (2003)
1 – Mark Mickan – T3rd (1987)
1 – Mitch Clark – 3rd (2009)
1 – Alex Ishchenko – T4th (1990)
1 – Matt Rendell – T9th (1992)

BROWNLOW MEDAL VOTES (min 10)
33 – Matthew Clarke
22 – Stefan Martin
12 – Mitch Clark
11 – Matthew Leuenberger
10 – Clark Keating

FINALS (min 5)
11 – Oscar McInerney
11 – Clark Keating
8 – Matthew Clarke
7 – Beau McDonald
5 – Jamie Charman

POSSESSIONS (min 1000)
2321 – Stefan Martin (ave 17.5)
1487 – Oscar McInerney (ave10.7)
1374 – Matthew Clarke (ave 10.6)
1293 – Matthew Leuenberger (ave 12.0)
1244 – Jamie Charman (ave 9.6)
1113 – Mitch Clark (ave 13.6)
1016 – Clark Keating (ave 7.3)

GOALS (min 20)
83 – Clark Keating (ave 0.60)
61 – Mitch Clark (ave 0.74)
60 – Oscar McInerney (ave 0.43)
55 – Jame Charman (ave 0.43)
27 – Matthew Leuenberger (ave 0.25)
26 – Mark Mickan (ave 0.54)
23 – Stefan Martin (ave 0.17)

HIT-OUTS (min 1500)
3887 – Stefan Martin (ave 29.2)
3384 – Oscar McInerney (ave 24.4)
2472 – Matthew Leuenberger (ave 22.9)
2291 – Jamie Charman (ave 17.8)
2103 – Matthew Clarke (ave 16.2)
1915 – Clark Keating (ave 13.8)
1577 – Beau McDonald (ave 17.3)

MOST HIT-OUTS IN A SEASON
845 – Oscar McInerney (2023)
770 – Stefan Martin (2017)
745 – Stefan Martin (2018)
724 – Matthew Leuenberger (2011)
672 – Oscar McInerney (2021)
650 – Stefan Martin (2015)
645 – Stefan Martin (2019)
608 – Matthew Leuenberger (2013)

MOST HIT-OUTS IN A GAME
63 – Stefan Martin (2010)
58 – Stefan Martin (2018)
57 – Oscar McInerney (2023)
52 – Stefan Martin (2017-19)
52 – Matthew Leuenberger (2011)
51 – Stefan Martin (2016 twice)
51 – Matthew Leuenberger (2015)
50 – Stefan Martin (2015-17-18)
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McInerney: Put our head down now and work away

Oscar McInerney talks to media after the come from behind victory against Melbourne. The tall ruck believes the challenges will continue this week against Adelaide, so the team must keep working hard.
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Room for improvement as young Lions drive resurgence

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ALREADY on a four-game winning streak, Brisbane has plenty of room to improve, says ruckman Oscar McInerney.

The Lions were able to overturn a three-quarter time deficit against Melbourne last Friday night to move into the top eight for the first time this season, continuing a surge back into premiership contention.

With Will Ashcroft making a successful return from knee surgery against the Demons, and key defender Jack Payne expected back for Sunday's match against Adelaide, the pieces appear to be falling into place.

However, McInerney says the Lions are far from satisfied with their current form.

"The exciting thing is each week we review the game there's plenty to work on," he said.

"I think the best teams in the competition defend really well, so why not chase those teams that do that well and try and be a really good defensive team to complement our offence?"

Brisbane conceded eight goals in the second quarter against the Demons, just a fortnight after giving up seven in a quarter to St Kilda.

They won both matches and are still ranked fourth in the AFL for points conceded, but McInerney says it's an area for growth.

Payne, an integral member of the Lions' defensive unit, missed the victory over Melbourne with foot soreness, and ran without any obvious discomfort on Tuesday.

He will need to get through Thursday's main session, but is a good chance to return against the Crows.

McInerney said overturning a deficit against the Dees was a confidence boost for the surging Lions.

"It's great to expose ourselves to new situations. We haven't been exposed to that (trailing) too often in the last six or seven years," he said.

"One pleasing thing was that our young players really stepped up. Brucey Reville's fourth quarter was incredible, Jaspa (Fletcher) came on as a sub and lit the game up, Darcy Wilmot is so young still but feels like he's been around forever.

"They're having really big moments in really big quarters and that's exciting for our group."
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Big O notches 150

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If you offered Oscar McInerney one wish for his 150th AFL game this week against the GWS Giants in Sydney you’d get a very quick and simple answer …. Make it better than his 100th game.

Because his 100th in the 2022 elimination final at the Gabba lasted all of 90 seconds. McInerney was concussed in a head clash with Richmond midfielder Jack Ross and had to watch as the ruckless Lions scraped home by two points.

The loss of the popular ruckman aside, it was a cracker. The Lions, ahead 2-0 in the hit-outs after two minutes, lost the hit-outs 14-55 from that point on as Dan McStay (10), Joe Daniher (3) and Eric Hipwood (1) battled manfully against Toby Nankervis (41) and Ben Miller (41).

The lead changed four times in the next 11 minutes. Charlie Cameron put Brisbane in front 21 seconds into the final term before Jack Riewoldt replied for Richmond. Daniher goaled for Brisbane and then Riewoldt hit back again. And there were still 20 minutes to play.

With time almost up, Keidean Coleman picked out Zac Bailey on the 50m arc with a beautifully weighted pass. He went long to the square where the ball came off the pack and into the hands of Daniher, who dribbled through the winner from about 3m.

McInerney missed the semi-final against Melbourne at the MCG the following week, when Darcy Fort deputized in the ruck in a 13-point win, and returned for the preliminary final against Geelong at the MCG, when the battle-weary visitors went down to the eventual premiers.

McInerney has missed only one game since then – this year’s Round 7 clash with GWS in Canberra when they copped a 54-point hiding in what became the turning point of their season.

The 30-year-old Lions ruckman, who will be the 34th 150-gamer in Brisbane history, will go into Saturday’s sudden-death semi-final against the Giants at the Sydney Showgrounds as the equal third most-durable 150-gamer in club history. He’s missed just 10 games since his debut also against the Giants at the Showgrounds in Round 6 2018.

Only Dayne Zorko (4) and Hugh McCluggage (5) have missed fewer games along the way. Joel Patfull (10) was similarly durable, while Nigel Lappin (11), Harris Andrews (17), Marcus Ashcroft (18) and Eric Hipwood (19) also missed fewer than 20 games.

Yet McInerney, having debuted at 23 and set to play on Saturday night 66 days beyond his 30th birthday, will still be the club’s fifth-oldest 150-gamer. Older have been Roger Merrett (36/9), Alastair Lynch (34/94), Richard Champion (30/95) and Zorko (30/77). Lappin has been the club’s youngest 150th game at 24 years 52 days from Ashcroft (24/347) and Voss (25/38).

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McInerney will get to 150 games guaranteed the sixth-best win/loss ratio, now at 95-1-63, with a chance to move up to equal fifth. Ahead of him are Simon Black (105-1-44), Luke Power (100-1-49), Jonathan Brown (99-2-49), Tim Notting (97-1-52) and Chris Johnson (96-3-51).

Among 350 Brisbane players all-time McInerney will be the 34th to 150 games, which is a milestone that carries automatic life membership.

Having been picked up by the Lions as a smokey at pick #37 in the 2016 Rookie Draft, he will be the club’s first rookie to 150 games. Aside from inaugural captain Roger Merrett, who joined the AFL before the introduction of the draft, Tom Rockliff is the only other 150-gamer not taken in the National Draft. He was pick #5 in the 2008 Pre-Season Draft.

Merrett was the first Brisbane player to 150 games. Having played 149 games for Essendon, he reached 150 for the then Bears in Round 5 1996 at the Gabba.

Ironically, it fell in the club’s last game with merger partners Fitzroy and produced the biggest Brisbane ‘win’ in a 150th game – by 109 points. Merrett kicked five goals and the Brownlow Medal votes went to Michael Voss (28 possessions 2 goals), Craig Lambert (32 possessions 1 goal) and Nigel Lappin (30 possessions 3 goals).

The club has a 21-12 win/loss record in 150th games – and has won seven of the last eight.

McInerney will be the 6th Brisbane player to celebrate his 150th in a final. And in a good omen, the previous five all won. Marcus Ashcroft scraped through by a point in the first Gabba final against Essendon in 1996, and Voss and Lappin, the only Brisbane players to mark their 150th with a teammate, shared a 34-point win over the Dogs at the Gabba in 2000.

Lynch kicked five goals in a 56-point Gabba win over Port in 2002, and Simon Black marked his 150th with entry to his fourth consecutive grand final via a nine-point win over Geelong at the MCG.

Only three players who did not start their AFL career at Brisbane played 150 games for the club – Merrett, Lynch and Johnson.

Merrett has been the club’s oldest 150-gamer at 36 years 9 days, from Lynch (34/194), Champion (30/95) and Dayne Zorko (30/46),

McInerney will be the first Lions player to play his 150th game against GWS, leaving Collingwood the only club not to feature in a milestone game of this level. And, by extension, McInerney’s 150th will be Brisbane’s first 150th at the Showgrounds – the same venue where he debuted in Round 6 2018.

He’ll be the 12th Brisbane player to reach 150 under coach Chris Fagan. Leigh Matthews (14) heads the list from John Northey (2), Fagan, Michael Voss (4), caretaker coach Merrett and the outrider who represents one of the great trivia questions.

All this comes after he grabbed the record for most games by a Brisbane ruckman when he played his 140th in Round 16 against Melbourne at the Gabba, going past triple premiership hero Clark Keating at 139.

McInerney’s 150th game in his 13th final comes after an outstanding 2024 season in which he was desperately unlucky not to make the All-Australian squad, when Melbourne’s Max Gawn, Collingwood’s Darcy Cameron and North Melbourne’s Tristan Xerri were preferred before Gawn was the only ruckman included in the 22-man team.

That despite the fact McInerney polled 29 votes in the AFL Coaches Player of the Year Award to rank 5th among ruckmen behind Gawn (56), St.Kilda’s Rowan Marshall (48), Sydney’s Brodie Grundy (43) and Xerri (31), and ahead of Cameron (26), Carlton’s Tom DeKoning (25), Fremantle’s Luke Jackson (24), GWS’ Kieren Briggs (23) and Richmond’s Toby Nankervis (22).

Having averaged 32.7 hit-outs, 3.3 tackles, 5.4 clearances, 10.43 contested possessions and 3.6 one-percenters and 0.5 goal assists, the Brisbane #46 was prominent in all key statistics for ruckmen.

He attended more ruck contests than all opponents except Xerri, and among 25 players who had a minimum 200 hit-outs, he ranked 4th for hit-outs, 9th for tackles, 4th for clearances, 5th for contested possessions, 8th for contested marks, 3rd for one-percenters and 3rd for goal assists.

And, with a free kick differential of ‘plus 23’ from a season count of 40 free kicks ‘for’ and only 17 free kicks ‘against’, McInerney ranked 4th among all players. Only Hawthorn’s Dylan Moore (45-22 – plus 33), GWS’ James Peatling (35-9 – plus 26) and Gawn (48-24 – plus 24) had a better free kick differential.
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www.lions.com.au

McInerney: “Momentum is a powerful thing in footy”

Oscar McInerney is confident the team can build on their winning form. The powerful Ruck will play his 150th game this weekend, however believes in a team first mentality and will celebrate the milestone later in the year.
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Senior Oscar McInerney (2016-)

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