The Brisbane Lions are determined to create the best support and welfare arrangement in the AFL.

That's the goal of new strategy and retention manager Craig Lambert, who has returned to the club after five years as the player welfare manager at Greater Western Sydney.

It was Lambert and his wife Melissa who were a key reason why the Giants were able to keep so many of their highly rated youngsters despite lucrative offers to return to their home states.

"This was a club that had every high draft pick in the world and in two or three years they were supposed to leave," he told SEN on Friday.

"But for some reason they stayed and hopefully because of that family environment we tried to create there. We will be doing exactly the same at the Lions."

Lambert said that it was a given that draftees will be homesick, but that the right environment can manage it.

"The No.1 thing we are concerned about is the environment we create. We don't draft a player, we draft a family and the when we meet a draftee we talk about getting the family up there as much as we can, the grandparents, the aunties and uncles.

"It's such an important component of the club. If we can create that family environment, it minimises the risk of losing players."

He added that the support has to be right on and off the field and that even the smallest details are important at football clubs.

"Welfare has become such an important component, particularly the interstate clubs and if you get that right then it minimises the go home factor."