Team: BRISBANE LIONS
Ins: Amon Buchanan (Sydney Swans), Xavier Clarke (St Kilda), Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Matt Maguire (St Kilda), Andrew Raines (Richmond), Brent Staker (West Coast), Callum Bartlett (Geelong Falcons), Ryan Harwood (Glenorchy), Jesse O'Brien (North Adelaide), Bryce Retzlaf (Labrador), Pearce Hanley (promoted rookie). Rookies - Mitchell Golby (Gippsland Power), Josh Dyson (Eastern Ranges), Niall McKeever (County Antrim, Ireland), Sean Yoshiura (Mt Gravatt), Claye Beams (Labrador), Broc McCauley (Southport)
Outs: Daniel Bradshaw (Sydney), Tim Notting (retired), Jason Roe (delisted), Scott Harding (Port Adelaide), Rhan Hooper (Hawthorn), Scott Clouston (delisted), Kieran King (delisted), Matthew Tyler(delisted), Joel Macdonald (Melbourne), Daniel Dzufer (delisted), Pat Garner (delisted), Daniel Murray (delisted), Adam Spackman (delisted), Joel Tippett (delisted), Bradd Dalziell (West Coast)
Draw: Brisbane has a reasonably favourable draw, especially early on when it plays five of the first eight rounds at the Gabba. With the three away fixtures in that time being against Port Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney (teams expected to occupy the bottom half of the ladder this season), the Lions must make the most of things and start strongly if they wish to live up to the hype and snare a place in the top four. After this relatively comfortable opening, the nine games that follow will reveal how far the club has come since falling to the Western Bulldogs in last year's semi-final. The Lions will travel on six occasions from Round 9 to 17 and take on the likes of Geelong, the Bulldogs, Hawthorn, Adelaide and Carlton away from home.
Strengths: When your forward line boasts three Coleman medals and two of the best key forwards in the game, it's always going to be the focus of pundits and punters alike. Jonathan Brown and Fevola kicked a combined total of 174 goals last year. If they are able to function together then Brisbane will have the most formidable forward line in the league. The loss of Bradshaw will hurt and plenty of goals will of course have to come from other sources, but the Lions look to have a lot of depth in this regard. Youngster James Polkinghorne impressed last season, recruits Brent Staker and Amon Buchanan are capable performers, and there is plenty of pre-season speculation that veteran Luke Power could be spending more time up front.
Weaknesses: On paper the Lions boast a very impressive side and quite reasonable depth. Coach Michael Voss has certainly shown his own belief that they are capable of winning the premiership by recruiting fiercely in the off-season. The challenge for Voss will be getting the best out of his new employees. Fevola should deliver, but if Staker, Buchanan, Xavier Clarke, Matt Maguire and Andrew Raines (players who all struggled for game time in 2009 for a multitude of reasons) fail to produce then Voss' wheeling and dealing would be called into question. The pressure will perhaps be most intense for Maguire, who will attempt to establish himself as the confident and reliable centre half-back the club has lacked since Justin Leppitsch retired in 2006.
X-Factor: After four years in the September wilderness, the Lions returned to finals action last season on the back of a talented youth brigade. Ruckman Mitch Clark enjoyed a breakthrough season and the incumbent NAB Rising Star Daniel Rich looked a ready-made player from Round 1 in what was his first season. If the pair can reproduce their fine form, the Lions will benefit enormously.
Best 22:
B: Patfull, Merrett, Adcock
HB: McGrath, Maguire, Drummond
C: Rischitelli, Black, Sherman
HF: Johnstone, Brown, Polkinghorne
F: Power, Fevola, Buchanan
R: Clark, Brennan, Rich
IC: Leuenberger, Raines, Staker, Selwood
After Round 22: 6th. Sportal's experts are tipping a repeat performance from Brisbane after it finished last year in sixth position on the ladder. The key hurdle that the club must clear to earn a double chance in the finals will be its form at home. If Voss' wish for a return to the Gabbatoir comes true then the Lions could easily slip into the top four.