Brisbane is set to be "pretty active" in the upcoming Mid-Season Draft following a pair of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries to Darcy Gardiner and Lincoln McCarthy.
Despite securing the important four premiership points, Gardiner and McCarthy went down early in the QClash contest against Gold Coast and have subsequently been ruled out of the remainder of the 2024 season and placed on the inactive list.
As a result, the Lions have opened another two list spots, taking their total tally to four, with Keidean Coleman and Tom Doedee suffering from the same knee injuries earlier this year.
MORE: When is the 2024 AFL Mid-Season Draft and which clubs have picks?
Brisbane GM of Football Danny Daly says the club will look at filling at least three of those list spots as they try to salvage the slow-starting season.
“We'll be pretty active,” Daly said on SEN Afternoons.
“We'll at least take three if not four.
“So Steve Conole (recruiting boss) and Dom Ambrogio (list manager) are hard at work scouring the country. They're doing their due diligence.
“We'll get a few players in at the mid-season draft for sure, 100 per cent.”
Former Collingwood utility Trey Ruscoe could be a viable option to fill a role for Chris Fagan both in defence and in attack, similar to what Gardiner has produced over the years.
Ruscoe has been playing strong football for West Coast in the WAFL, with coach Kyal Horsley (West Coast) backing a return to the elite level.
To replace small forward McCarthy is no easy feat but Essendon VFL's Oskar Smartt has been executing the role impressively and has been flagged as a potential mid-season option for clubs, with the Lions certain to look into him.
Daly also provided an update on another ACL victim in father-son gun Will Ashcroft, who is nearing a return following his Round 19 injury last year.
The Lions are hopeful that Ashcroft will make a return in the second half of the season and is improving well.
“He was kicking the ball around at training today,” Daly said.
“He's progressing really well. We're not putting a timeframe on it as yet, but he'll definitely play again this year.
“He's in a good frame of mind and he'll be a good asset for us in the back half of the season.
“We look forward to him coming back.”
The Lions sit 13th on the ladder and will receive the sixth overall pick in the current standings.
The AFL's Mid-Season Rookie Draft takes place on Wednesday, May 29.
