Danger's Dusty challenge, the 'Brainiac effect', free agency fix
In Cal-culations, Callum Twomey looks at the Lions' dynasty and just how good Patrick Dangerfield's preliminary final performance was
www.afl.com.auHere’s the latest you asked about: Dynasties: Brisbane Lions.
- The Brisbane Lions have been described in late-2025 reporting as well-positioned to extend their dominance, with attention on top-tier recruitment and internal development to sustain success into the 2026 season. This narrative framed the club as aiming to “get stronger” after their 2025 premiership, with potential free-agent additions and academy prospects highlighted as key drivers.[1][2][3]
- Coverage during that period emphasized the Lions’ ongoing pipeline: internal players returning from injury or form improvements, plus potential external targets such as high-profile free agents or academy graduates entering the senior list, all aimed at building a deeper premiership-winning outfit.[2][1]
- Broader media commentary framed Brisbane as a dynasty in the making, noting they had already established a recent premiership run and were expected to leverage a busy trade period to consolidate their supremacy, including speculation around who might join the club and how the lineup would shift.[3][5][10]
- A contemporaneous profile from AFL-focused outlets highlighted the leadership of coach Chris Fagan and the stability of key players, while acknowledging that success would demand continued smart recruiting and strategic moves in the off-season to maintain the competitive edge.[5][10][1]
Illustration
- A simple visualization to capture the theme: a bar chart showing Brisbane Lions premierships by year in the past two decades, with markers for notable off-season acquisitions (e.g., academy promotions, free-agent signings) aligned to the corresponding year. This would illustrate how recruitment and development intersect with on-field success.
If you’d like, I can pull a quick summary of:
- the most frequently mentioned potential recruits during that window,
- the specific off-season moves Brisbane entertained (free agents, academy graduates), and
- a concise timeline of their premiership-related milestones from 2024–2026.
Would you like me to compile those into a compact briefing or generate a chart illustrating premiership milestones vs. recruitment activity?