Gone are the days when the Brisbane Lions would rely heavily on the output from superstars Simon Black and Jonathan Brown to help lift the team over the line.

That burden has been lifted considerably over the past 12 months, with a number of the Club’s younger players picking up much of the slack both on and off the field.

James Polkinghorne, 23, is among that group of ‘next generation’ of Lions who are now being recognised as more senior members of the playing list.

Polkinghorne told SEN radio on Thursday that all Lions players have shown their willingness to take on greater responsibility for the team this pre-season.

“The group is definitely more stable now,” Polkinghorne told SEN.

“That middle tier of players is certainly starting to stand up and take on more of an onus on the group which is pretty exciting.”

“It obviously helps to learn off the likes of (Jonathan) Brown, (Simon) Black, and (Luke) Power. But now we have guys like (Daniel) Rich, (Jack) Redden and (Tom) Rockliff stepping up another notch. And Pearce Hanley’s another one who’s going really well.”

“Everyone’s sort of chipping in and not leaving it up to too few. We know that everyone has to put in for everything to go to plan.”

Polkinghorne also expressed his excitement surrounding the imminent return of Brent Staker after almost two years on the sidelines.

“Stakes is going really well, he’s in full training and looks like he’s cut out of stone at the moment,” Polkinghorne said.

“Fingers crossed for him that he can get back out there and remind everyone what he was doing so well a couple of years ago when he was our swing-man.”