‘Clearly our focus’: Why there’s no panic after dynasty team’s break-up
Brisbane’s list boss has downplayed concerns about the lacklustre free-agency and trade periods of the three-peat champions.
Speaking on the morning after deadline day, Lions list manager Dom Ambrogio also made clear the powerhouse club’s new immediate focus: locking down gun medium forward Kai Lohmann.
Keidean Coleman has secured a trade from Brisbane to Essendon. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
The Lions had already re-signed star midfielder/forward Zac Bailey and boom key forward Logan Morris on lucrative contracts in the weeks leading up to the trade period, leaving them with only a finite amount of cash to splash come October.
They subsequently lost Keidean Coleman (Essendon), Sam Marshall (St Kilda) and Will McLachlan (Melbourne) – departures that won’t have the top brass at Brisbane losing sleep, but exits that have eroded the club’s depth.
The departures of Coleman, Marshall and McLachlan followed the move of two-time Brownlow Medal winner Lachie Neale to Collingwood.
Champion coach Chris Fagan has also quit his post.
However, Ambrogio pointed out the significant list-management wins the Lions had scored in re-signing Bailey until the end of 2034 and Morris until the end of 2029.
He also highlighted that the club had improved its draft hands – both this year’s and next – in farewelling Coleman, Marshall and McLachlan.
In return for sending Marshall and pick 45 in this year’s draft to St Kilda, the Lions snared the Saints’ 2027 first-round selection.
They also bettered their top 2026 pick from 25 to 21 in agreeing to trade Coleman to Essendon.
“Retention (of Bailey and Morris) was clearly our focus, but also what we wanted to do was set ourselves up to hit the draft,” Ambrogio told AFL Trade Radio.
“Overall, we tried to focus on a total draft hand we could walk away with, and set that up for the next couple of drafts rather than just the individual transactions that we’re going to engage in. We’re trying to take a total view of our draft hand over the next couple of years and allow ourselves to widen the window if we can.
“You need to do that (tap into the drafts) to manage your (salary) cap, and these guys, invariably, are approached by other clubs and offered greater opportunities elsewhere. I think that’s just a natural part of the cycle.”
Lachie Neale has landed at the Magpies. Getty Images
McLachlan managed to play only seven AFL games, and just one senior match this year, after arriving at Brisbane via the 2024 mid-season draft.
But the Geelong Falcons product booted 35 goals in 11 games for the Lions’ VFL side this season – including a bag of eight majors against North Melbourne.
Rival clubs were inevitably going to be lurking.
“I don’t think there’s much we can do about that,” Ambrogio said.
“He’s just a really good player, and a good young man.”
Lohmann, 23, has developed into a superb impact player for the Lions.
He chalked up four goals in the first grand final of Brisbane’s three-peat, jagged two goals in the 2025 decider and booted another pair on the big stage this year.
The Lions’ new immediate focus is locking down Kai Lohmann (right). Getty Images
He also brought up a half-century of goals in 2026.
The Lions are hellbent on securing him beyond 2027.
“That’ll be what we turn our attention to next. Obviously, we’re keen to retain Kai if we can, and that becomes our focus from here,” Ambrogio said.
“He’s a super player. There’ll be interest in him, no doubt.
“We know he’s loved his time playing here, he’s got a great connection with our group, and we’ll get cracking on trying to get him tied up.”
