Senior Harris Andrews (2014-) (Co-Captain)

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Fagan excited for Harris' return
arris Andrews will play against Geelong on Saturday after getting through the Brisbane Lions' main training session on Thursday morning. Andrews missed four matches after suffering concussion and a small bleed on the brain after a collision with Greater Western Sydney forward Jeremy Cameron in Round 14.

Lions coach Chris Fagan confirmed on Thursday both Andrews and Luke Hodge, who has missed two matches with a calf injury, would be available to play the Cats. Fagan said Andrews had been doing contested work all week to prove his fitness.

"We did some match practice this morning where he had to fly back with the flight and go for his marks and he didn't seem to be any different to the normal Harris Andrews," Fagan said. "But we'll wait and see, he's only human. "Maybe the game situation is a little bit different, hopefully not, but he's certainly ready to go."

Fagan said Andrews would resume his customary role as a key defender. the 21-year-old was in All Australian form and arguably leading the club's best and fairest prior to his setback, but Fagan said his main concern was the health of his vice-captain. "In a funny sort of way they all feel like your sons when you're the coach, you're always concerned for their health and wellbeing. "Each week we ask them to go out and do things that most human beings wouldn't consider doing. "He's a very courageous player. I'm very pleased he's made a full recovery."
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Andrews beats physical, mental scars to return
STAR defender Harris Andrews has overcome the physical and mental scars from the sickening hit that sidelined him for five weeks and will take on Geelong this week, Lions coach Chris Fagan says. Harris’ return is the big inclusion for Brisbane after the vice-captain was knocked senseless by GWS spearhead Jeremy Cameron at the Gabba in Round 14.

Andrews was spotted at Coorparoo on Saturday morning doing conditioning work and has been doing contested drills all week in the final hurdle to being cleared. He ticked the last box on Thursday and Fagan said the 21-year-old, who was on track for All Australian selection, was “ready to go”. “We did some match practice this morning where he had to fly back with the flight and go for his marks and he didn’t seem to be any different to the normal Harris Andrews,” Fagan said.

“But we’ll wait and see, he’s only human. Maybe the game situation is a little bit different, hopefully not, but he’s certainly ready to go. “In a funny sort of way they all feel like your sons when you’re the coach; you’re always concerned for their health and wellbeing. “Each week we ask them to go out and do things that most human beings wouldn’t consider doing.
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Five talking points: Brisbane v North Melbourne
5. Andrews wins Brown battle
It promised to be an epic clash. North Melbourne forward Ben Brown, the Coleman Medal leader, up against one of the game's best young key defenders in Harris Andrews. The Kangaroos scored plenty but Brown well held, with Andrews and the Lions defence keeping the spearhead to the solitary goal. It could have been the attention paid to Brown that helped fellow key forward Jarrad Waite and several other Roos to multiple goals. Brown now sits on 54 goals for the season.
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Marcus Ashcroft Most Professional Player Award
Courageous key defender Harris Andrews has been awarded the Marcus Ashcroft Most Professional Player Award at the Brisbane Lions' 2018 Club Champion. It's the second year straight Andrews has claimed this award.

At just 21 years of age, Andrews showed significant improvement in 2018 and developed into one of the competition's best key defenders. A highlight of his season was when he broke the AFL's spoils record in Round 10 against Sydney, tallying 23. In 18 matches this season, Andrews averaged 9.3 kicks, 6.6 marks and 6.3 handballs a game and set a new Club record of 205 one percenters in a season.

He successfully took on, and shut down, premier opposition forwards every week. Most importantly, his leadership at such a young age has impressed all around the Club, earning him the nickname 'Dad'. He was elevated to the vice-captain role when Dayne Beams stood down from the captaincy midway through the season.

Despite missing the four matches, Andrews was named in the All Australian squad earlier this week for the first time in his career.
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Club Champion analysis
And the best individual performances of the season?

22 votes – Harris Andrews - Round 12 v Essendon (Gabba). He had a career-best 24 possessions, an equal career-best 12 marks and 20 one-percenters to be best afield in the 22-point loss. He earned nine AFLCA votes.

20 votes – Harris Andrews – Round 9 v Hawthorn (Gabba). In the Lions’ first win of the season he did a superb job in defence in a game equally memorable for the breakout performance of Hugh McCluggage, who had 27 possessions (16 contested).
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Player Review: Harris Andrews
#31 - Harris Andrews
At just 21 years of age, Andrews showed significant improvement in 2018 and developed into one of the competition's best key defenders. A highlight of his season was when he broke the AFL's spoils record in Round 10 against Sydney, tallying 23. Two weeks later he took a ridiculous nine intercept marks and produced 20 spoils against Essendon, earning himself two Brownlow votes and nine Coaches Votes.

In 18 matches this season, Andrews averaged 15.6 disposals (at 85% efficiency), 10.6 spoils and 11.4 one-percenters a game. He also set a new Club record of 205 one-percenters in a season.

He successfully took on, and shut down, premier opposition forwards every week. He also showed his versatility when thrust forward against Gold Coast when the game was on the line in Round 22. The brave move paid dividends with Andrews kicking his sole goal for the year and creating several other opportunities.

His leadership at such a young age has impressed all around the Club, earning him the nickname 'Dad'. He was elevated to the vice-captain role when Dayne Beams stood down from the captaincy midway through the season.

The one lowlight of his season was a severe concussion suffered in Round 14 against the GWS Giants. Andrews missed four matches as a result of the injury, but he finished the season strongly when he returned in Round 19.

Andrews’ terrific season was rewarded with selection in the All Australian 40-man squad for the first time in his career. Had it not been for the concussion, Andrews would have surely been right in the mix to make the final cut.

At the Lions’ Club Champion night, he finished fifth overall in the Merrett Murray Medal count with 208 votes and won the Most Professional Player Award for the second year running. The addition of Luke Hodge helped elevate Andrews' game in 2018 and with another consistent pre-season he can be a real force for the Lions in 2019.

Coaches Comment – Murray Davis, Backline Coach

“Another defender to have his best season in his 76-game career. Ranked the number one key defender by Champion Data. His game against Essendon highlighted his aerial skills with nine intercept marks. Also took out the record for number of spoils against Sydney in the wet with 23 spoils. A real student of the game and a leader on and off the field.”

Senior matches: 18
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Seven months after brutal hit, Lion counts his lucky stars (Michael Whiting)
SEVEN months after a horrific clash with Jeremy Cameron that left a small bleed on the Harris Andrews' brain, the Lions defender has revealed he worked with Brisbane's psychologist before taking the field again. The errant elbow from Cameron seven months ago was one of the most graphic incidents from the 2018 season and left the Brisbane full-back concussed on the Gabba turf and requiring a stint in hospital for treatment. He missed four games and returned to play the final five matches of the season.

Speaking to AFL.com.au at the Lions' pre-season camp in Hobart, Andrews said his training had gone without a hiccup and conceded he had been "very, very lucky". Brisbane has had a horror run over the past five years with players being forced into early retirement. "We've had Justin Clarke, Jack Frost just retired, Matt Maguire, 'Browny' (former skipper Jonathan Brown) obviously and it's something the club has taken real care of," Andrews said. "I've been very lucky to not have any ongoing symptoms."

While there was a host of opinions at the time of the incident about when Andrews should return to the field, the Lions leader said his only concern was his family. "It obviously was pretty scary," he said. "The scary part was the genuine fear from my family, my mum and dad, brother, girlfriend, they were all obviously very worried.

"I knew it was a freak accident and there was a lot of questions asked when I came back and played a few games, but I've played 15 or 16 years of footy and it's the worst thing that's happened to me so the chances of it happening again are very, very slim. "I certainly did a little bit of work in that period I wasn't playing with the club psychologist and the coaches. "I did a bit of work, technique and mentally, being able to put myself in that position again and realising it was a freak accident and probably wouldn't happen again. "Nothing is going to change the way I play football. "If I find myself in that position I'll absolutely be going for that footy again and having no second thoughts. "It was obviously scary at the time, but I feel like I've moved on from it."

Andrews had no time to dwell. In his return match against Geelong in round 19 he was faced with a similar, back-with-the-flight situation and didn't hesitate to spoil. Despite missing the month of action Andrews still had a good enough season to earn selection in the 40-man All Australian squad. The 22-year-old says he can get better though, citing a post-season chat with coach Chris Fagan as the catalyst for a pre-season of continued development.

"The greatest point of improvement for me would be some more intercept marking," he said. "We saw in the Grand Final with Jeremy McGovern coming across and taking marks and winning the ball back for his team, the value that brought. That's something I need to do to keep evolving my game. "There's going to be times when I make the wrong decision, maybe sometimes I should spoil and sometimes I should mark, but I'll try and limit those errors as much as I can.

Andrews said the addition of Marcus Adams, the development of Josh Walker into a key defender and the ascension of Darcy Gardiner could potentially allow him the freedom to play away from the opposition's best forward. "We feel like we've built a strong unit down there and built some good consistency. "We have some good chemistry."
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Dayne Zorko to captain Lions in 2019 (Josie Fielding)
Zorko will front an eight-man leadership group with Harris Andrews as Vice-Captain. Ryan Lester, Stefan Martin and Allen Christensen will return to the group, with new additions Darcy Gardiner, Jarrod Berry and Lachie Neale. The group will continue to be mentored by Luke Hodge.

The seven members joining him are thrilled to lead beside him:

Harris Andrews – “I’m stoked to be a part of the leadership group and be leading this emerging team for the 2019 season. I’m excited about where we as a Club are headed.”

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Coach conundrums: We solve your position puzzlers
Harris Andrews: Named in the 40-man All Australian squad last year as a full-back but seriously being considered to start 2019 in the front half. A great overhead mark that could help take the load off Eric Hipwood but would it be robbing Peter to pay Paul?
Verdict: Forward
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