How top draftees and returning stars are causing plenty of headaches for the Lions

The Brisbane Lions - the reigning AFL premiers - will have plenty of 'good' headaches when it comes to selection in 2025.

Brisbane managed to shake off several season-ending injuries to win the flag last season, overcoming the loss of key players such as Lincoln McCarthy, Keidean Coleman, Darcy Gardiner and recruit Tom Doedee as well as ruckman Oscar McInerney for the Grand Final.

But as the Lions go about preparing for the new campaign there is an air of positivity floating around with most of those players due back in the coming months.

Veteran Dayne Zorko spoke of the nice selection headaches that scenario will pose for Chris Fagan and his coaching staff as the Lions chase back-to-back premierships.

“Every year you’re going to have injuries, but you would never in your wildest dreams think you’re going to have four ACLs in the first seven rounds - that just doesn't happen,” Zorko said on SENQ Breakfast.

“It was very disappointing for those guys but the way they’re training at the moment, they’re now back into the main group. A few of them won't be ready for Opening Round but they'll certainly be very close to that which is exciting for us as a group. But the headaches are there for ‘Fages’.

“Tom Doedee is coming off a double knee reconstruction but we know what he's been able to do over at Adelaide. He was a fantastic intercept defender for Adelaide for a number of years.

“Darcy Gardiner and Linc McCarthy when they played last year in the first seven rounds were in our best four or five every single game. Their form was exceptional before going out of the side.

“And we know what ‘Kiddy’ Coleman did two years ago in the finals series. He was absolutely unbelievable.

“So there's a lot of headaches there for Fages, but I think that's what you want. You want competition.

“We’re a team that was able to climb the mountain last year and there's still people knocking on the door and they want to be in this team which I think is fantastic.

“Hopefully, touchwood, no more injuries throughout the pre-season but we get to see some really high quality football to vie for those spots.”

Zorko has also been suitably impressed by the club’s top 2024 draftees Sam Marshall and Levi Ashcroft.

Pick 25 Marshall has been training the house down this summer while father-son selection Ashcroft, who was taken with Pick 5, is recovering from shoulder surgery but is expected to soon integrate into senior training.

“I could almost be their dad, but anyway, that’s ok,” 35-year-old Zorko laughed.

“They’re fantastic. Sam Marshall’s work ethic, he’s absolutely blitzing us in the running. Jarrod Berry and Harry Sharp (now at Melbourne) led our running for a number of years and poor Jarrod has his work cut out trying to catch Sammy Marshall at the moment.

“He’s a supreme athlete, there’s no doubt about it. He has put on a lot of size, he trained with us last year and was quite skinny but he’s put on a lot of muscle and looks like a real athlete. His football nous is incredible.

“The talent is through the roof with those guys. Levi is coming back from a bit of a shoulder injury, he’s just getting back into the main group now.

“Just like his brother Will he is a classy user, very skilful and really tough over the ball which you love to see from a young kid.

“Chock-full of talent once again and more selection headaches for Fages, but you wouldn’t want it any other way.”

The Lions will meet Adelaide in the AAMI Community Series in Ipswich on February 27 before the reigning premiers set their sights on Opening Round against Geelong at the Gabba on March 6.