Brisbane Lions: 2019 fixtures, preview, list changes, every player and odds

Mick Stirling

Brisbane Lions: 2019 fixtures, preview, list changes, every player and odds image
We’ve all been looking at the Lions through rose-coloured glasses the past couple of years, but they’ll be coming off now as expectations rise for the developing list.
Chris Fagan has definitely made them a more competitive outfit that had a series of close losses this year as well as giving Hawthorn a couple of sizable touch-ups.

However they still only won five games, the same number that saw them finish on the bottom of the ladder in 2017.

Recruits Cameron Rayner, Charlie Cameron and Luke Hodge all showed plenty, and while Hodge might not be getting kicks for many more years, his influence on the group is already paying dividends.

There’s been more changes as Fagan shapes the list the way he wants it, but will it be enough to start showing measurable results or will it still be up to the marketing department to sell the future?

List changes

In:

Marcus Adams (Western Bulldogs), Lincoln McCarthy (Geelong), Lachie Neale (Fremantle), Ely Smith (Murray Bushrangers), Thomas Berry (GWV Rebels), Thomas Joyce (East Fremantle), Connor McFadyen (Brisbane Lions Academy), Noah Answerth (Oakleigh Chargers)
Rookies: Ryan Bastinac (Brisbane Lions), Jacob Allison (Brisbane Lions)

Lachie Neale

Out:

Dayne Beams, Sam Mayes, Jacob Allison, Jake Barrett, Claye Beams, Tom Bell, Rohan Bewick, Liam Dawson, Marco Paparone, Cian Hanley, Jack Frost

Best Brownlow chance:

Lachie Neale $51

After racking up 20 votes to finish eighth in his record-breaking 2016 Neale has seemingly lost his attractiveness to the umpires. His tally of 14 in 2017 saw him slip to 16th and just 11 in 2018 put him right back among the also-rans. The former Fremantle midfielder gets the ball like few others and is recognised by his coaches, winning two best and fairests at the Dockers, but it's hard to get the big Brownlow tallies in losing teams. 

Players to watch:

Cameron Rayner, Lachie Neale, Eric Hipwood

The burden of being the number one draft pick looked a little too much early in 2018, but Rayner warmed to the task and showed he had the goods as the season wore on. Will he defy the second-year blues and show what he's fully capable of, because his best will go a long way to getting the Lions steamrolling forwards.

Eyes will obviously be on Neale and he won't disappoint. The former Docker is the consumate professional and, while he's not the match-turning powerhouse Dayne Beams can be, Neale plays in a way that brings out the best in his teammates.

Hipwood has been progressing nicely but it's time for him to kick up a level. The first three years of his career have been tracking in a similar fashion to Jack Riewoldt's, and the Tiger won a Coleman in season number four - the 'Racing Snake' wants to set himself the same lofty heights.

#Eric Hipwood

A last chance to watch:

Josh Walker, Luke Hodge

Walker was shifted into defence in 2018 and responded with his best season to date, but it still wasn't much to write home about. The former Cat is out of contract at the end of next season and will want to impress if he's to be guaranteed another deal.

Hodge doesn't need to impress anyone, but he still manages to do so on a regular basis. It's unlikely he'll play into 2020, so a farewell season seems on the cards and Hodge isn't the type to go quietly into that long goodnight. It may be asking a lot, but the three-time premiership captain would like nothing more than to sign off in a finals series.

#Luke Hodge

Brisbane Lions' 2019 list

No. Name Games Date of birth Height, weight Position
24  Adams, Marcus  27  30 Jun 1993  192cm 98kg Defender
19  Allison, Jacob (R)  16 Apr 1998  195cm 87kg Midfield
31 Andrews, Harris  76  11 Dec 1996  201cm 102kg Defender
43 Answerth, Noah  0    184cm 80kg Midfield
33 Bailey, Zac  12  23 Sep 1999  182cm 81kg Midfield
38 Ballenden, Connor  29 Mar 1999  200cm 95kg Forward
4 Bastinac, Ryan (R)  161  22 Jun 1991  185cm 84kg Midfield
7 Berry, Jarrod  37  5 Feb 1998  193cm 84kg Midfield
13 Berry, Thomas    185cm 76kg Midfield
23 Cameron, Charlie  84  5 Jul 1994  181cm 75kg Forward
3 Christensen, Allen  120  19 May 1991  177cm 80kg Forward
20 Cox, Cedric  12 9 Aug 1997  183cm 80kg Defender
26 Cutler, Tom  63  20 Feb 1995  191cm 91kg Defender
41 Eagles, Matt (R)  9 Feb 1990  200cm 99kg Defender
27 Gardiner, Darcy  82  22 Sep 1995  193cm 90kg Defender
42 Hinge, Mitchell (R)  26 Jun 1998  189cm 85kg Defender
30 Hipwood, Eric  52  13 Sep 1997  203cm 90kg Forward
2 Hodge, Luke  324  15 Jun 1984  185cm 90kg Defender
32 Joyce, Tom    181cm 80kg Midfield
1 Keays, Ben  28  23 Feb 1997  185cm 82kg Forward
35 Lester, Ryan  117  26 Aug 1992  192cm 87kg Forward
39 Lyons, Corey  0  31 May 1998  184cm 83kg Midfield
25 Lyons, Jarryd  92  22 Jul 1992  184cm 82kg Midfield
12 Martin, Stefan  158  17 Nov 1986  199cm 100kg Ruck
36 Mathieson, Rhys  37  10 Jan 1997  188cm 88kg Midfield
11 McCarthy, Lincoln  29  22 Oct 1993  178cm 82kg Forward
6 McCluggage, Hugh  40  3 Mar 1998  185cm 83kg Midfield
45 McFadyen, Connor    189cm 93kg Midfield
46 McInerney, Oscar (R)  16  10 Jul 1994  204cm 107kg Ruck
25 McStay, Daniel  79  24 Jun 1995  195cm 98kg Defender
9 Neale, Lachie  135  24 May 1993  177cm 82kg Midfield
40 Payne, Jack  15 Oct 1999  197cm 95kg Defender
16 Rayner, Cameron  22  21 Oct 1999  187cm 87kg Midfield
10 Rich, Daniel  183  7 Jun 1990  185cm 88kg Defender
18 Robertson, Nicholas  68  3 Jun 1995  191cm 98kg Defender
5 Robinson, Mitch  168  7 Jun 1989  184cm 90kg Midfield
21 Skinner, Sam  29 Jun 1997  198cm 96kg Defender
44 Smith, Archie  19 Jul 1995  202cm 105kg Ruck
8 Smith, Ely    188cm 87kg Midfield
37 Starcevich, Brandon  24 Jul 1999  187cm 85kg Midfield
28 Taylor, Lewis  107  17 Feb 1995  175cm 79kg Forward
14 Walker, Joshua  74  12 Nov 1992  197cm 100kg Defender
29 Witherden, Alex  30  10 Sep 1998  188cm 85kg Defender
34 Wooller, Toby  16 Mar 1999  194cm 87kg Forward
15 Zorko, Dayne  144  9 Feb 1989  175cm 78kg Midfield


Brisbane Lions’ 2019 Fixture 

Round Date Opponent Venue
1 Saturday March 23 West Coast The Gabba
2 Sunday March 31 North Melbourne Marvel Stadium
3 Saturday April 6 Port Adelaide The Gabba
4 Saturday April 13 Essendon MCG
5 Thursday April 18 Collingwood The Gabba
6 Saturday April 27 Gold Coast Metricon
7 Saturday May 4 Sydney The Gabba
8 Saturday May 11 Western Bulldogs Mars Stadium
9 Saturday May 18 Adelaide The Gabba
10 Sunday May 26  Fremantle Optus Stadium
11 Saturday June 1 Hawthorn The Gabba
12 Saturday June 8 Carlton Marvel Stadium
13 BYE    
14 Saturday June 22 St Kilda Marvel Stadium
15 Sunday June 30 Melbourne The Gabba
16 Sunday July 7 GWS Giants Sydney Showground
17 Sunday July 14 Port Adelaide Adelaide Oval
18 Saturday July 20 North Melbourne The Gabba
19 Saturday July 27 Hawthorn UTAS Stadium
20 Sunday August 4 Western Bulldogs The Gabba
21 Saturday August 10 Gold Coast The Gabba
22 Saturday August 17 Geelong The Gabba
23 TBC Richmond MCG


Games played on:

Thursday: 1
Friday: 0
Saturday: 14
Sunday: 7

Teams played twice:

North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide

QClash Brisbane Lions Gold Coast Suns

Preview and 2019 premiership odds

The Lions are starting their 2019 campaign at a distant $67.00 but that doesn't mean nothing's expected from them. It’s time to get wins on the board and show there’s a future for Brisbane, especially if they want to keep their interstaters from heading home.

The loss of Dayne Beams has to hurt, but Neale’s not a bad replacement and Marcus Adams will make his presence felt in the backline. 

A key for Fagan will be to see genuine improvement from Hugh McCluggage, Alex Witherden and Jarrod Berry. The trio have shown they can be elite and Brisbane needs nothing less if it’s to start entertaining the idea of finals football anytime soon.

Lewis Taylor is another who needs to lift a level and start living up to the promise he showed in his first couple of seasons. Being a handy small forward and occasional midfielder is okay, but the Lions need Taylor to take a page out of captain Dayne Zorko’s career playbook and become an on-ball presence.

It’s going to be a watershed season for Brisbane where either momentum will be gained or the fundamental cohesion of the group lost, with most indicators pointing to the former.
 

Mick Stirling