Introduction If there was ever an advertisement for the recruiting of more mature players, then Sunshine Coast product Josh Drummond would probably be it. Drummond is arguably the Lions’ most attacking defender and his pin-point left boot is generally entrusted with the team’s kick-in duties. Background • Hailing from Maroochydore in Queensland, Drummond played several seasons in the AFLQ with the Northern Eagles but was overlooked on a number of occasions in the AFL National Draft. • He was eventually given his first opportunity at senior level when the Lions selected him with Pick No.47 (Queensland Zone Selection) in the 2003 Rookie Draft. 2004 • The long-kicking left footer impressed in the opening matches with the Lions Reserves team and was duly promoted to the senior squad half-way through 2004 when Daniel Merrett was sidelined indefinitely with glandular fever. • Despite being named as an emergency no less than four times, Drummond failed to make his senior debut. 2005 • The boy from the Sunshine Coast was elevated to the senior list for the second time in May when knee reconstruction victim Richard Hadley was placed on the long-term injury list. • Drummond was outstanding for the Suncoast Lions in the AFLQ competition and finally earned his first appearance in the seniors in a nail-biting Round 8 win over Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. • In traditionally hostile surroundings, he kept dangerous Crow Scott Welsh to just seven possessions and two goals while picking up 15 touches of his own and clearing the ball from defensive 50m on five occasions. • By the following week’s match against Richmond at the Gabba, Drummond had been entrusted with the kick-in duties from full-back – a job formerly held by triple-premiership star Chris Johnson. • He maintained his position in the senior team for the remainder of the season and wound up playing 14 matches – missing only one match with a back-related hamstring complaint. • He proved a reliable running option off half-back and his return of eight goals was evidence of a willingness to get forward and become a versatile attacking option. • There was probably wasn’t a first-year player to have more of an impact across the competition than Drummond – yet at the ripe age of 22, he was considered too old for the AFL’s Rising Star award. 2006 • Drummond’s season began in devastating fashion when he seriously injured his shoulder in the early stages of the Lions’ round 1 thrashing at the hands of Geelong. • He was selected to make his senior return by Round 12 before a niggling quad injury forced him to pull out of the match as a late withdrawal. • His impact as a second-year player was such that the Lions noticeably struggled to rebound the ball from defence in his absence. • He finally returned by Round 15 and played in six of the final eight matches of the year, averaging an impressive 16 disposals per game running off half-back. 2007 • Unfortunately for Drummond, his injury-frustrated 2006 season continued in 2007 with soft tissue injuries hampering his pre-season preparation. • He returned to the senior team for the first time in Round 8 against Essendon at Telstra Dome and within four weeks had re-established his position as one of the competition’s best running half-backmen. • He achieved a personal best 30 disposals in a thrilling draw against Richmond at Telstra Dome in Round 10 and equalled the feat the following week against the Bulldogs at the Gabba. • He played a vital role in the team’s mid-season resurgence before a knee injury kept him out of four of the last five matches. Coincidentally, his absence corresponded with the Lions failing to win any of their final four matches of the season. • Drummond averaged a career-best 21.3 disposals and despite playing in only 11 matches, he led the Club in Rebound 50s with 64. • He was duly recognised for his obvious ability when he was named in Queensland’s inaugural Team of the Year. 2008 • After completing a relatively full pre-season, Drummond strained his quad during the second half of the Lions’ Round 2 clash with Collingwood at the Gabba. The injury would ultimately sideline him for five weeks. • He returned after the AFL’s Bye Round in May and proceeded to play in nine of the team’s next ten matches. • His season ended prematurely when he suffered an injury to his thigh during the Lions’ Round 19 match against Hawthorn in Tasmania. • In his 13 matches, Drummond averaged 17.5 disposals per game and still managed to finish equal 15th in the Club Champion award. • He was also selected for the second consecutive season in Queensland’s Team of the Year. • After four full seasons with the Lions, the injury-plagued Drummond had certainly become more important to the team than his 45 matches would suggest. 2009 • By his own admissions, Drummond completed one of his first full pre-seasons since arriving at the Club in 2003. He featured in the team's NAB Cup campaign and went on to play a career-best 20 of 24 matches throughout the 2009 season.  • He continued to play a valuable role in defence where his bullet-like left-foot was regularly used to spark forward attacks. His importance became so great that opposition teams began paying him the ultimate compliment by assigning him with a tagger.    • He finally reached the 50-game milestone - which had been five seasons in the making - in Round 5 against Geelong. The occasion was spoilt however as the Cats crushed the Lions by 93 points.  • He collected an equal career-high 30 disposals in Round 2 against Carlton and kicked a career-best three goals against the Western Bulldogs in Round 20. • He suffered a minor setback mid-season when he strained his calf against Carlton in Round 11 at the Gabba. The injury kept him out of the next three matches against Hawthorn, Melbourne and Port Adelaide. • Drummond also suffered a slight strain in his quad in Round 22 on the eve of the Club's first Finals appearance in five years and was a late withdrawal from the Elimination Final team to face Carlton at the Gabba. He returned the following week to experience his first ever AFL Finals match in the team's loss to the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.   • He averaged 18 disposals in his 20 matches in 2009 and finished a career-best 10th in the Club Champion award - remarkably his first ever top ten finish. • He capped off his most productive season to date with his third successive selection in Queensland's Team of the Year.
2010 • Drummond had a solid start to Season 2010, playing every game until round 7. Is these seven games, he booted four goals and averaged 18 disposals per game. • Unfortunately, injury struck the defender in round 7 against Fremantle and he underwent knee surgery after injuring his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). Drummond’s LARS (Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System) surgery was a success and he began rehabilitation immediately. • However, the injury was still quite severe and the Lions took no chances on compromising his recovery - Drummond did not return again for the Lions in 2010. 2011 • Another injury interrupted pre-season - this time with a hip complaint - meant that Drummond didn't surface in the senior team until Round 7 against the Gold Coast SUNS. • He played two consecutive matches before being grounded again with a knee injury which ultimately forced him to miss 10 of the next 11 senior games. • He eventually returned in Round 21 and played out the final four matches of the season without incident. • Drummond finished a frustrating 2011 campaign with just seven senior matches and two goals to his name. It was the second year in a row he had failed to play more than one third of the season. • However, he kept his perfect record in tact by being named in Queensland's Team of the Year for the fifth successive season.
Michael Voss is taking a cautious approach when it comes to Josh Drummond, leaving him in the reserves for another week.Friday, April 29, 2011 - 12:00PM
Brisbane Lions defender Josh Drummond will sign a new contract when he returns to Australia, saying he had no intention of leavingFriday, October 15, 2010 - 8:06AM
Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss says there are no games in Jed Adcock and Josh Drummond's selection, while Jonathan Brown is also fighting fitThursday, September 10, 2009 - 4:31PM
Coach Michael Voss says the final decision on four injured Lions will be left as late as possibleThursday, September 03, 2009 - 5:37PM
This week marks the first finals match for many Brisbane Lions players who have come to the fore since 2004Thursday, September 03, 2009 - 9:50AM
The playing and coaching group visit Toowoomba which was recently affected by the floodsThursday, February 10, 2011 - 7:42PM
Josh Drummond speaks to the media about the recent win, the current injury plague and the upcoming match agains St Kilda.Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 3:30PM
Lions defender Josh Drummond speaks about his impending 50-game milestone and facing Geelong down at Skilled Stadium this Sunday.Friday, April 24, 2009 - 12:00PM
Queensland U18 Representative 2001 Queensland Team of the Year 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Lions Leadership Group 2011
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