2026 Pre-Season Thread

[DERRINALPHIL]

Congratulations to Josh Dunkley and Tippah on their engagement

Does she look fertile enough?

Need two father sons from these two.

 

[mpal6]

Does she look fertile enough?

Need two father sons from these two.

Played 100 for Dogs already. We'll have competition.

 

[dlanod]

Does she look fertile enough?

Need two father sons from these two.

Bit creepy TBH.

 

[Viceregal]

Bit creepy TBH.

She doesn't look creepy to me but everyone has their tastes and she obviously is to Dunkley's taste so all good.

Oh you meant derrinalphil's comment ... chagrin

 

[Saucery]

She doesn't look creepy to me but everyone has their tastes and she obviously is to Dunkley's taste so all good.

Oh you meant derrinalphil's comment ... chagrin

Nice candy selling there Vice.

 

[Perrip]

Lachie Neale makes first appearance back at Brisbane Lions training after public marriage breakdown

Fagan said the club had not yet made a decision on whether Harris Andrews

31

Harris Andrews

Age

29

Ht

200cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.8

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.6

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

151.7

2star

D

17.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.0

3star

D

9.8

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

94.0

2star

would continue as sole captain in 2026 or share the role once again.
The two-time premiership-winning coach revealed Charlie Cameron

23

Charlie Cameron

Age

31

Ht

180cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

2star

K

7.9

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.2

4star

had chosen to step down from the leadership group to focus on his football, meaning there will be at least four changes for 2026 with Brandon Starcevich

4

Brandon Starcevich

Age

26

Ht

188cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.2

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

185.3

3star

D

9.5

2star

K

7.3

3star

HB

2.3

2star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.1

3star

MG

187.9

3star

D

8.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

1.8

4star

MG

181.2

3star

(West Coast) and Oscar McInerney

46

Oscar Mcinerney

Age

31

Ht

205cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.1

2star

K

4.1

2star

HB

3.9

3star

CL

1.4

4star

HO

14.3

5star

D

6.9

1star

K

4.1

2star

HB

2.7

2star

CL

1.9

4star

HO

16.4

5star

D

7.6

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.6

3star

CL

0.4

3star

HO

11.2

5star

(retired) no longer at the club.
Fagan hoped the new-look leadership group would include the likes of Will Ashcroft, Jaspa Fletcher and Darcy Wilmot who have all been tapped as future leaders at the club, while also not ruling out off-season recruits Oscar Allen

4

Oscar Allen

Age

26

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.2

4star

and Sam Draper.
“We haven’t really worked out the answer to that question. (Andrews as sole captain) is a possibility, no doubt. He is more than capable of doing it on his own,” Fagan said.
“We will do our leadership group process during February and announce what that structure will look like late that month.
“One of the things we have done well over the last seven or eight years since I’ve been at the club is we have built leadership density – we went from having not many leaders to having a lot of leaders.
“The other two blokes you think could be in line if you went for two captains is Hugh McCluggage

6

Hugh Mccluggage

Age

27

Ht

187cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.3

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

7.9

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.0

5star

CL

2.2

4star

D

19.0

4star

K

12.0

5star

HB

7.0

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

2.0

4star

D

13.2

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.8

4star

CL

0.6

3star

and Josh Dunkley

5

Josh Dunkley

Age

28

Ht

191cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.8

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.3

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

20.7

5star

K

7.0

3star

HB

13.7

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

5.3

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

14.2

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

7.0

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

4.0

5star

CL

1.4

4star

. They are the two that really stand out.
“I don’t know how you would go picking between those two – if we went with two – but I would find that pretty hard, so we might have three or one because I might chicken out of that one.”

 

[SRH17]

Fages has also come out and said if Lachie chooses to stay past this year - fantastic. If he needs to head west for the kids, then he goes with our blessings.
He’s a good man is Fages.

 

[Lace Out]

Fages has also come out and said if Lachie chooses to stay past this year - fantastic. If he needs to head west for the kids, then he goes with our blessings.
He’s a good man is Fages.

Makes it easier to say when turning 34 in ‘27 as well

 

[Lazza16]

Lachie Neale makes first appearance back at Brisbane Lions training after public marriage breakdown

What do you think Bez would think about Fages comment not getting a mention?

 

[Saucery]

What do you think Bez would think about Fages comment not getting a mention?

Knowing Bez nothing, he's not in it for personal glory from what I've read about him. He would however be over the moon if Clug got the nod.

 

[Saucery]

I imagine WC would throw quite a bit of coin at Lachie, top tier compo kind of money perhaps?

 

[braddsey]

I imagine WC would throw quite a bit of coin at Lachie, top tier compo kind of money perhaps?

Lachie is too old for top tier compo.

 

[Thomasno]

Lachie is too old for top tier compo.

We will take a second rounder for him and run I would think

 

[rye]

we'd give neale away for nothing if it came down to it realistically we arent going to do anything to stand in his way if he wants out given the circumstances of both what he has given to the club and the reasons he'd want to go to wa.

 

[braddsey]

we'd give neale away for nothing if it came down to it realistically we arent going to do anything to stand in his way if he wants out given the circumstances of both what he has given to the club and the reasons he'd want to go to wa.

…and he’s an unrestricted free agent.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Not getting anything for Neale

 

[BuntonRules]

we'd give neale away for nothing if it came down to it realistically we arent going to do anything to stand in his way if he wants out given the circumstances of both what he has given to the club and the reasons he'd want to go to wa.

…and he’s an unrestricted free agent.

We won't have a say in what compensation we get, but we will accept it.

 

[rye]

…and he’s an unrestricted free agent.

i thought he was restricted, notwithstanding fagan's comments in the interview from today

 

[SRH17]

Frees up some nice cap space though!

 

[Perrip]

i thought he was restricted, notwithstanding fagan's comments in the interview from today

Definitely a free agent. Will have to wait for the AFL to confirm the restricted and unrestricted FAs in a few months

 

[Ceebee]

Fages has also come out and said if Lachie chooses to stay past this year - fantastic. If he needs to head west for the kids, then he goes with our blessings.
He’s a good man is Fages.

Love how he put everything in perspective , he is a very special person .

 

[Section 5]

Lions will get as much for Neale as we got for Ah-Chee

 

[Elixuh]

Lions will get as much for Neale as we got for Ah-Chee

Riled up Adelaide fans? I’ll take it

 

[Balony_pony16]

Not getting anything for Neale

We got a couple flags. Happy with that

 

[T Rick]

In commenting on the Lachie mess, Fages has once again shown what a class act he is in terms of empathy and balance in his perspective on a dreadful private situation.