Brisbane Lions Football Operations General Manager, Dean Warren, told LIONS TV that the tendency for young players from interstate to get homesick has been an ongoing battle for the Queensland-based Club.

Warren’s comments were made in the wake of reports surrounding a number of young out-of-contract Lions players expressing their desire to return home.

“We’ll always have that issue potentially,” Warren told Dom Fay and Michael Whiting as part of LIONS TV’s Fancast.

“87% of our list is from interstate, and it’s the nature of our industry that a lot of our guys are required to move away from home.

“They’ve just finished school and are in their 18^th year, and have to pack-up and pursue their AFL dreams in another state, away from their family and support networks.

The issue has existed since the Bears were introduced into the AFL competition in 1987; however there has been significant progress made since in terms of retaining players from interstate.

“We try to manage it the best we can,” Warren said.

“We invest significantly in our welfare program – Manny Lynch and Alicia Whitelock do a terrific job – but it’s a big step for these young guys.

"After their first couple of years, as the team progresses and they’re not necessarily playing a lot of senior footy week-in week-out, homesickness is a real issue for us.”

Warren revealed that ruckman Billy Longer was one of the players considering a move back home to Melbourne, with reports claiming that Sam Docherty is another who’s contemplating his AFL future.

“(Billy Longer) is one of those ones, and I’ll be honest to our members and fans that he is battling a little bit with missing his family and friends. But we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to retain Billy because we think he’s got a big future,” Warren said.

“Billy’s obviously a required player, and the younger ruckmen do take a little bit longer to come on.

“He’s had a pretty good NEAFL season, he played a few senior games, but pleasingly Leuey had an outstanding year I thought coming off the back of his Achilles injury last year.

“Billy is a young developing ruckman who needs to be dangerous when he goes forward as well.

“He’s still developing and we’re quite pleased with his development.”

Warren said he remained confident of re-signing Elliot Yeo, and hoped the Club could retain some of the other players currently suffering from homesickness.

“There are challenges there for us. But we hope to get the majority of those young guys locked away. I think they’re a terrific young group, and certainly we’re very keen to re-sign them as quick as we can,” he said.