On paper the Brisbane Lions forward line looks elite.
Charlie Cameron, Zac Bailey, Lincoln McCarthy, Cam Rayner, Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood and now Jack Gunston in that mix.
When it is fully functioning, it is almost unstoppable. And that was the case many times throughout 2022.
Some games the small forwards ran circles around their opponents, in others the tall forwards marked everything possible, and on occasions it was both.
Star small forward Charlie Cameron kicked 54 goals to be named in the extended All-Australian squad, only to miss out on making the final team.
It was one of Cameron’s best seasons of his career, with the 28-year-old reaching the half-milestone for the third time.
On 11 occasions the electric goal sneak kicked three or more majors.
In Round 16 against the Bulldogs, he had the crowd on their feet as he slotted four goals from his 12 disposals, in what was possibly his most memorable outing.
Adding potency for the Lions inside 50 was Zac Bailey, with Cameron’s fellow small forward finishing the season with 37 goals.
Bailey continued to make a name for himself after winning the Marcus Ashcroft Medal for his striking six-goal haul in the first QClash of the season against the Gold Coast Suns.
The other positive signs for the Lions were the returns of Eric Hipwood and Cam Rayner from ACL injuries.
The pair kicked 25 and 24 goals respectively, with each having standout games where they led the Lions to victory.
Unfortunately, there were times when the forward line didn’t function well, which in fairness was less than only a handful of times, but when that was the case, the Lions suffered big losses.
On three occasions the Lions only managed to kick eight goals or less, it resulted in losses of an average margin of 64 points – twice to Melbourne and once to Geelong in the Preliminary Final.
If the Lions can find a way to narrow that gap between their best and their worst – the Brisbane forward line will cause teams plenty of headaches in 2023.
2023 is a Big Year for…
Joe Daniher
If the key forward has an injury-free run in 2023, he could achieve almost anything.
Daniher started this year on fire, booting 19 goals from the opening seven, before suffering a setback with a shoulder injury against Sydney.
Up to that point, Daniher had looked to be back in similar form to his All-Australian year in 2017.
The 28-year-old worked his way back into some form to still finish the season with 39 goals, three of those including the match winner against Richmond in the Elimination Final.
Forward coach Jed Adcock spoke glowingly on the importance of Daniher in the lead up to his 150th milestone earlier this year.
“His biggest weapon is when he uses his height and jump, quite quick and agile for such a tall man, and can play higher and around the ball with some clean ball use,” Adcock said.
“When he’s fit, he can be a handful for opposition defenders with the ability to get them in the air or ground playing higher up the ground or deeper, a very tough combo to stop.”
With hard work and some luck on the injury front, 2023 could be Daniher’s year.
Unsung Hero
Linc McCarthy
The importance of Lincoln McCarthy is never questioned inside the four walls of the Brisbane Lions, though externally the 29-year-old is at times underrated.
Perhaps it is due to being overshadowed at times by teammates and fellow forwards such as Charlie Cameron, Zac Bailey, Eric Hipwood or Joe Daniher.
Though for the second consecutive season McCarthy has booted more than 30 goals to be one of his side’s top four goal kickers.
The crafty forward’s two best performances were a bag of five goals against North Melbourne in Round 3 and a four-goal haul against GWS in Round 11.
His agility, speed and athleticism in the forward line make him always dangerous around the goals, while his forward line pressure is another great asset.
Oh, and of course he is one of the best to watch when flying high for a mark.
Knocking on the Door
Kai Lohmann
With the ability to take hangers, create goals out of nothing and add plenty of spark to the Lions team – Lohmann oozes x-factor vibes.
His biggest challenge is breaking into the senior team, particularly an already potent forward line full of established players.
An exciting Easter debut against Collingwood gave a hint of what the 19-year-old can do. However, an ankle injury the following week sidelined him for six weeks.
He was one of the main players in the Lions VFL team that fans watched with interest, and Lohmann went on to kick 20 goals from 14 games.
Five of those goals came from his day out against North Melbourne where he also took six marks and racked up 20 disposals.
Lohmann joins the likes of young teammates Darcy Wilmot and Jimmy Tunstill to be putting their hand up for a spot in Chris Fagan’s best 22 next season.
