Oscar McInerney showed his enormous potential in 2019 as he provided a dangerous marking target in attack and superb support to veteran Stefan Martin.
But few would have predicted how rapidly this star would rise in just third season in the AFL. A fourth-place finish in the Club Champion voting and victories in the Shaun Hart Trademark Player of the Year and Players Player awards shows not just his development as one of the competition’s premier ruckmen but also the esteem in which he is held within the Club.
With Martin injured throughout the middle part of the season McInerney was given the opportunity to spend longer periods in the ruck and he grabbed it with two oversized mitts.
The season high for the 204cm, 107kg McInerney came in the head-to-head battle with another rising star of the competition Tim English in round 11.
It was a domination by the Big O who smashed English in the ruck with 40 hit-outs as the Lions romped to a 24 point win over the Bulldogs.
He was also among Brisbane’s best in wins over Fremantle and Collingwood where he took the honours over regular All Australian Brodie Grundy.
McInerney has done the hard yards to get where he is today. He made his way to the Lions via the rookie lost then cut his teeth in the NEAFL before forcing his way into the side and eventually usurping Martin as the top dog.
He passed the 50 game milestone this season and is contracted to the club until at least the end of 2021.
