It was a tough start to the year for the Lions, but they finished off the season playing some good football, despite being stuck with the wooden spoon.
Had they beaten North Melbourne on the final weekend they would have jumped up to 17th, but they couldn't get past the Roos, and slumped to their fourth consecutive bottom four finish.
After 11 rounds Brisbane found themselves with a 1-9 record, with their only victory in the first half of the year coming against the Suns in the opening round of the season.
Strong quarters here and there meant the Lions didn't have enough consistency to beat their opponents, but that all changed in round 12 after a 57-point win over Fremantle at the Gabba.
Including that win, the Lions went 4-8 over the final 12 rounds, and came within 14 points of the Bulldogs and Demons over the past month.
It became clear as the season wore on that coach Chris Fagan had a talented group at his disposal, and the constant re-signings only fueled the excitement.
In-demand forward Josh Schache signed a two-year extension, defender Harris Andrews and forward Eric Hipwood also re-committed, while Tom Cutler, Jarrod Berry, Ben Keays, Sam Skinner and Cedric Cox also all put pen to paper on new deals.
Best win:
There weren't a lot to choose from, but Brisbane's come-from-behind victory over Essendon in round 15 at Etihad Stadium will be remembered by Lions supporters for years to come.
After Darcy Parish goaled early in the final term, the Bombers led by a game-high 27 points, and were surely on their way to victory.
However, six of the next seven goals went Brisbane's way, as they pulled off one of the quickest turnarounds we saw all season long.
Worst loss:
Brisbane weren't able to enjoy their victory over Essendon for too long, as they turned in their worst performance of the season just a week later.
Geelong travelled up to the Gabba and absolutely smashed the Lions, booting 25.13.163 - the highest score of the season.
The Cats kicked 10 goals in the second quarter and led by 54 points at half time, before going on to record an 85-point victory.
Dayne Zorko had 36 disposals and kicked four goals that night, although he seemed to be the only Lion that put up a fight.
Most improved: Nick Robertson
After playing just six games for the Lions across the entire 2016 campaign, Robertson became an important member of Brisbane side this season, and played in all but one game in 2017.
The hard-nosed midfielder set career-high numbers in almost every category, with the 22-year-old averaging 16.1 disposals, 4.4 marks, 3.2 tackles, 2.3 rebound 50s and 1.7 inside 50s per game over the course of the season.
In a year with few highlights, the rise of Robertson is sure to be a positive in the eyes of most Brisbane supporters.
Best and fairest: Dayne Beams/Dayne Zorko
Despite being the only Lion that made the 40-man squad for the 2017 All-Australian side, Dayne Zorko will face some stiff competition from the club's captain.
Dayne Beams has had a brilliant year himself, with the pair clearly Brisbane's two best competitors all season long.
Zorko's numbers look a little stronger across the board, but Beams' impact was just as good, if not more important.
It'll be a two-horse race, although we believe Beams may just edge out Zorko in a close finish.
What the off-season could look like:
After finishing with the wooden spoon, the Lions will have the first pick in the upcoming draft.
Following their final game of the season on Saturday, Fagan suggested the Lions would go after a "hybrid midfielder", with Victorians Cameron Rayner and Paddy Dow both fitting the mold.
Free agency is interesting for the Lions as well, with veteran midfielder Tom Rockliff an unrestricted free agent at season's end.
South Australia has come calling, although if Rockliff does depart, it could be a blessing in disguise for Brisbane.
The Lions could well end up with a high first-round pick as well as pick one, which could see them have three first-round picks in the upcoming draft (they also have pick 14).
Adelaide's Charlie Cameron has been linked with the Lions, and the Lions could use a small forward of his calibre to compliment the tall duo of Hipwood and Schache.
2018 crystal ball:
After four consecutive bottom four finishes, the Lions could possibly buck that trend in 2018.
Their exciting young players will have another pre-season under their belts, and with that comes more experience.
More first-round talent and a smart move in the off-season could see the Lions climb the ladder, although a potential finals berth still seems at least two years away.
