After several years of being top four and going so close, the Lions have gone hard via the trade period and the draft to take the next step as genuine contenders. Season 2023 looms as crunch time for this outfit who undoubtedly have the quality to feature on the last Saturday in September.
The arrivals of Josh Dunkley, Will Ashcroft, Jack Gunston and Conor McKenna have sent a ripple through the competition and put everyone on notice. The Lions mean business and are determined to make the most of a deep list that is in its prime.
Last season they again went deep into September, however, were unceremoniously dumped from the finals by a rampant Geelong. That follows their straight-sets exit in season 2021 and another preliminary final loss to the Cats in 2020.
Though they finished sixth on the ladder, the Lions won 15 games and were one win off a top-four spot given their healthy percentage. They didn't need the double chance in the end, knocking Richmond out narrowly before stunning reigning premiers Melbourne at the MCG.
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Though the season ended on a sour note, the Lions have plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading into 2023. They are in their prime, boast one of the best on-ball brigades in the competition and have recruited elite talent all over the park.
Brisbane are going to be one of the great teams to watch in 2023, however, with so much potential also comes a heavy weight of expectation. Here are the burning questions ahead of this season for the Lions.
3. Can they finally bring their best consistently in September?
Despite featuring heavily in finals over recent seasons, the Lions have somewhat flattered to deceive. They have shown glimpses they could be a premiership side, only to let themselves down the very next week.
This could not have been more stark than last year's preliminary final against Geelong, where they were smashed all over the park, suffering a 71-point humbling. Having beaten the reigning premiers Melbourne the week before, the nature of the loss to the Cats no doubt drove their quest for greater depth and talent, and will surely have been burning in their minds during the long pre-season sessions in the Queensland heat.
The Lions need to prove they are the real deal when it comes to finals. The best teams can have a bad finals game here or there but they generally show a level of consistency that sees them go deep into September frequently. Brisbane are yet to prove that they can produce to this level reliably, making their potential finals appearance in 2023 must-watch footy.
