Senior Zac Bailey (2017-)

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Zac Bailey Back in Full Swing

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan believes dynamic half-forward Zac Bailey is on the verge of returning to his dazzling best.

Bailey will play his 100th career game against Greater Western Sydney in Canberra on Saturday and, like many of his Lions teammates, has built his form over the first five rounds of 2023.

The 23-year-old played his best game of the season to date against North Melbourne last Saturday, finishing with nine score involvements from his 21 disposals.

"We've seen flashes of his best," Fagan said before boarding the plane south on Friday morning.

"Our midfield is a bit different this year with Josh Dunkley and Will Ashcroft in it, so their roles have all slightly changed and their time in different positions has changed and they're all trying to get used to that, but I thought Zac was pretty close to his best last week."

"We tend to judge Zac on whether he's kicking goals or not, but last week while he didn't kick a goal he was involved in eight or nine shots on goal."

"I'm sure his real best form is just around the corner."

Bailey has kicked 31 and 37 goals respectively in the past two seasons and has 96 from his 99 games to date.

Fagan said the Northern Territorian was now one of the best small forward-midfielders in the AFL.

"The opposition have to respect him," he said.

"He's often the guy that brings the energy in those moments, sparks the team, does something exciting."

"I'm really happy for him that he's reached the 100-game milestone and pretty sure he's going to play a lot more for the Lions."

While Bailey will demand attention from Adam Kingsley and the Giants, Fagan admits he will have his hands full putting time into Toby Greene.

The GWS skipper has kicked 20 goals from nine games against Brisbane, booting four both times the teams met last season.

"He's the guy that gets them going," Fagan said.

"Not only does he kick goals, but he creates goals. He gets up into stoppages and causes a little bit of chaos there as well."

"He's a player that every time you play the Giants you're very mindful of."

"We'll certainly put some time into Toby, we don't want him exciting his teammates too much."
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The Lion Whose Disposals Turn Into Scores More than Anyone in The AFL

Brisbane mid-forward Zac Bailey is the most impactful player in the AFL, in terms of how often his disposals end in scores, according to Champion Data.

Bailey has played a larger role for the Lions' on-ball department in recent weeks and it has resulted in an uptick in disposals across the last month.

Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne revealed that 39 per cent of the 23-year-old’s touches end in a Brisbane score.

“We talk a lot about the impact in matches. Not disposals, but the impact you’re actually having from those disposals,” Hoyne told SEN’s Sportsday.

“One of the absolute go-to measures is turning a chain that you’re involved in into a score.

“So we take away the forwards because they’re always high up in terms of being able to turn their possession into a score.

“We look at all the other players in the competition outside of those permanent forwards and Zac Bailey is the most impactful player in the game in terms of turning his possessions into scores.

“So 39 per cent of the time he is involved in a chain Brisbane are scoring. He’s number one in the competition.

“We saw the impact he had against the Swans playing an inside mid role – 11 score involvements that day. I think that magnet moving forward for Brisbane is going to be key. He is their point of difference and balances out the midfield.”

Bailey ranks 4th in the competition for goal assists this season, behind Tom Hawkins, Christian Petracca and Gryan Miers.

Bailey and the Lions host Richmond at the Gabba on Thursday night.
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Brisbane Lions star Zac Bailey feeling sad for injured Magpie Daniel McStay

He’s now the enemy, but former Brisbane star Daniel McStay’s absence from Collingwood’s side in Saturday’s AFL grand final has saddened his former Lions teammates, particularly his close friend Zac Bailey.

McStay, who left Brisbane at the end of last season to join the Magpies, was ruled out of the MCG decider after suffering a knee injury in Collingwood’s one-point preliminary final win over the GWS Giants.

Bailey admitted seeing McStay’s anguish had him worried about similar heartbreak less than 24 hours later when the Lions booked their grand final berth with victory over Carlton at the Gabba.

“I’m not going to lie, it does sit in the back your head, but you’ve got to put your body on the line and hope that it holds up,” the 24-year-old attacking weapon said.

“We were lucky. We’ve got a relatively healthy list going into the final.”

However, such fortune deserted McStay, who spent nine years at the Lions before returning home to Victoria to play under former Brisbane star Craig McRae at Collingwood.

“I really feel for him,” Bailey said.

“He’s such a great player. Everyone dreams of this moment, so to go down with an injury and miss playing in the grand final would be devastating for him.”

Bailey doubted that he would be in the Lions’ grand final team if not for McStay’s influence and guidance.

Hailing from Darwin and being drafted by the Lions in 2017 from South Australian club Norwood, Bailey was a shy teenager who knew hardly anybody when he first arrived in Brisbane.

“Dan was really good for me. I was pretty close with him,” Bailey said.

“I lived with him for four years. He took me in, and he really helped me.

“He was mature and probably a leader at our club. He showed me the ropes really, so he was massive for me.

“I haven’t spoken to him yet about not being able to play this weekend, but it’s really disappointing for him.

“He’d be really upset. I’m devastated for him.”

However, Bailey will put those feelings of grief aside come Saturday as fulfils his lifelong ambition of playing in an AFL decider.

“Just to be playing AFL footy was my dream, but now that I’m playing in the grand final, it’s unbelievable to be thinking that I’m going to be playing in one, and I’m just super excited to get out there,” he said.

Having had a breakthrough season last year as he floated between Brisbane’s midfield and forward lines, Bailey rated his 2023 form as “OK”.

“I can definitely improve on what I’ve done this year. I’m capable of producing more,” he said.

“Once you get to that fourth or fifth year of playing in the AFL, you have been in the system for a while, and you’ve developed skills, you’ve matured with your strength and your size, and that allows you to have more impact on games.

“Last year I was able to take that step. This year, it was a pretty similar year to what I did last year, but I’d like to hopefully in the next couple of years take another step and really improve my game as well.”

The evolution of Bailey’s career has fitted in with an overall club journey under coach Chris Fagan.

Having collected the wooden spoon in Fagan’s first season in charge in 2017, the Lions have evolved, reaching three preliminary finals in the past four years and taking the next step this season by qualifying for their first grand final since 2004.

“We’ve all stuck together as a group for the last five or six years, and we’ve been able to build chemistry and build a really strong side,” Bailey said.

“There hasn’t been one single thing that’s helped us. It’s just been our growth over the last four or five years and the people that we’ve brought in, like (the now retired) Luke Hodge from Hawthorn, who was able to guide our young team.

“Now we’ve got a lot of young leaders coming through, and that’s helped the side get to where we are now.”
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