Operating in a non-traditional football market has helped the Brisbane Lions facilitate a family environment at the Club.

With a high percentage of players hailing from interstate (or overseas), it’s only natural that they lean heavily on each other as they become more familiar with their new surrounds.

Although a majority of players are forced leave behind their family and friends in pursuit of an AFL dream, they soon inherit 40 brothers and develop a range of new relationships.

It’s a fact that isn’t lost on the Lions, who have gone to great lengths recently to bolster their welfare programs to ensure that the transition is as easy as possible for players and their families.

“One of our team trademarks is ‘Family’ and our players are strong on that. 85% of our list is from interstate,” Lions GM – Football Operations Dean Warren told SEN Inside Football.

“(Senior Coach Justin Leppitsch) moved here when he was 17 and the Club didn’t have the support around then, so he’s very aware of the importance.

“It’s obviously a significant move for anyone if they are relocating from interstate to a new home. For 18-year-old boys who have just finished school and are drafted by an interstate club they are moving away from their families and their support network and homesickness is a reality. It has an impact.

“As a football club we have ensured we create a high performance, but also an enjoyable place as well – a really inclusive one for all the playing group.

“We’ve looked at all the things we do. How do we support them when they relocate? Who do they live with pre-Christmas and after Christmas? We’ve really pulled our program to bits and made sure everything we do is at a really high level.

“It’s not only for the player but also for the parents.”

“We find that the parents, with their son moving away for the first time, they have a hard time adapting for that first 12 months.

“We try to make sure we get the parents together. When we travel away we have parents’ breakfasts and brunches. The biggest change is that with funding support we have been able to put on a couple of extra development coaches this year and all of our coaching staff have a real duty of care.

“It’s not just about their footy, it’s about catching up with them socially and understanding what they are doing outside of footy. It’s also to take a little pressure off our welfare staff.”

“We now have 95 per cent of our guys involved in external education, which we didn’t have before. That’s to focus and connect the players who come from interstate, not just with people at our footy club but also externally so they meet people from outside.”