The Brisbane Lions have appointed Dayne Frew as the new Head of the Youi Brisbane Lions Academy, marking an exciting new chapter for the club’s talent development pathway.

Frew joins the Academy with over 20 years’ experience in talent and coaching roles, having recently been Regional Talent Manager Sunshine Coast / Wide Bay for the past five years.

He has an extensive background in high-performance football programs, player development, and leadership and brings a strong track record of identifying emerging talent and creating systems to support athletes on and off the field.

In his new role, Frew will oversee all Academy operations, including talent identification, coaching frameworks, athlete welfare, and pathway integration with the club’s senior football programs.

Lions General Manager of Football, Danny Daly, said Frew’s appointment is an important step in the continued evolution of the Academy.

“Dayne’s experience, values, and strategic approach to talent development make him an outstanding fit for this role. He has a proven ability to build strong programs and relationships with young athletes, coaches, and community partners.

“Our Academy does more than just attract and develop talent, it is crucial to improving the quality of community football and raising the standard of the game, so to have someone as experienced as Dayne take on the role is a real positive for our club and the wider game.

“While participation across Queensland continues to grow, we’re not yet seeing an uplift in Queensland talent being added to lists across the competition. Across the AFL only around 8% of listed players were born in Queensland so there is still plenty to do.”

Lions Head of Academy, Dayne Frew said he’s excited about the new role and would be focussed on building an environment where young players can grow and challenge themselves.

“My approach has always been to keep things simple, help and support staff and to create and fun and positive environment for everyone to be a part of.

“I have a real love of finding and developing local talent and helping players find and reach their full potential as athletes and individuals.”