At the end of every season, AFL clubs are forced to farewell players as part of the list management process.

It’s a tough and often brutal time of year, but is necessary so that teams can regenerate their playing list through the annual Draft.

It’s fair to say the Brisbane Lions’ turnover of players in 2013 was larger than usual, with a total of 13 changes made in the off-season.

And while much of the focus has surrounded the players who have since replaced these roles – what has come of those that are no longer at the Lions?

After all, each of those who have departed will forever be recognised as part of the Brisbane Lions’ proud history, and will always be welcome back to the Club.

Lions.com.au takes a brief look at where each of these players has landed since their departure from the Club.

TODD BANFIELD
Banfield continued to train with the Lions after being delisted in November, with the Club committed to taking him in the Rookie Draft. However, Richmond showed great interest in Banfield, and after ongoing discussions with both he and the Lions, ultimately offered him a fresh start at Punt Road.

CALLUM BARTLETT
Bartlett has moved to South Australia after being lured to SANFL club Norwood over the off-season. The Redlegs were thrilled to recruit the 22-year-old whose AFL career was largely hampered by injury.

“Huge thanks to the Lions for an opportunity in the AFL system! Great club! Stick with the boys, success to come!” Bartlett Tweeted.

“I can’t wait to begin pre-season training with my new teammates and look forward to contributing all I can both on and off the field,” he told sanfl.com.au

SIMON BLACK
By far the most significant departure in the post-season was that of arguably the Club’s greatest ever player – Simon Black. Black officially hung up the boots after 322 games with Club, before being lured back as an Assistant Coach. He will now commence the next stage of his football journey on the other side of the fence.   

AARON CORNELIUS
Cornelius was delisted after spending five seasons with the Lions, but remains determined to fight his way back into the AFL system. He will do so by plying his trade back in his home state of Tasmania as captain/coach of local TSFL side Glenorchy.

“I definitely think my AFL door hasn't shut. I'll take a year down here in Tasmania and really work hard on my game and see what happens,” Cornelius told The Mercury

SAM DOCHERTY
After requesting a move back home to Victoria after just a couple of seasons in Brisbane, Docherty was traded to Carlton – the club he grew up supporting as a kid – in exchange for Pick No.33 (which was used to draft Tom Cutler).

PATRICK KARNEZIS
After requesting a move back home to Victoria after three seasons in Brisbane, Karnezis was traded to Collingwood – the club he grew up supporting as a kid – in exchange for Magpies big man Jackson Paine.  

BILLY LONGER
After requesting a move back home to Victoria, it looked as though Longer could be headed to reigning premiers Hawthorn, before some typical trade twists and turns saw him ultimately sent to St Kilda in exchange for Pick No.25 (which was used to draft Daniel McStay) and Pick No.41 (which was on-traded to Geelong for Trent West).  

NIALL McKEEVER
After spending four seasons learning a relatively foreign code, McKeever immediately headed back home to Ireland after being delisted by the Club. He has since returned to playing with the more familiar ‘round ball’ with local Gaelic club Antrim in the GAA.

RICHARD NEWELL
The Lions’ first ever listed NSW/ACT Scholarship recruit, Newell was delisted after spending two seasons on the Club’s rookie list. The elite runner has since been recruited to SANFL club West Adelaide, where he will line-up alongside another former Lion in Chris Schmidt, and compete against some of his former Lions teammates.

JESSE O’BRIEN
O’Brien was an unfortunate casualty of the Lions’ list squeeze, so trained with Adelaide in the hope of being selected in one of the AFL Drafts. Unfortunately he was overlooked, however he’ll remain in his home state of South Australia and represent SANFL side North Adelaide in 2014.

JARED POLEC
After requesting a move back home to South Australia after three seasons in Brisbane, Polec was traded to Port Adelaide – the club he grew up supporting as a kid – in a complicated three-way deal which saw the Lions gain Pick No.22 (Darcy Gardiner) and Pick No.34 (Nick Robertson).

STEPHEN WRIGLEY
Mature-age rookie Wrigley got a taste of senior AFL football in 2012 before tragedy struck late in the 2013 pre-season when he cruptured his ACL. He was ultimately cut from the Lions’ list at season’s end, but will ontinue to be a force in the NEAFL after signing on as one of Redland’s big off-season recruits.
 
ELLIOT YEO
After requesting a move back home to Western Australia after just a couple of seasons in Brisbane, Yeo was traded to West Coast in exchange for Pick No.28 (which was used to draft Lewis Taylor).