You need to look no further than our national cricket team to see what happens when a star group of players dominates the sporting landscape and then leaves a vacuum of experience after retirement.
Watching the Brisbane Lions at the MCG on Saturday night I saw a team trying its hardest but one that is merely a shell of the club that dominated the start of the century with three premierships.
The Lions have just three of their champions left from that era, but they are ageing and can no longer be expected to carry their side to success without quality, experienced players surrounding them.
Last Saturday their skipper and star forward Jonathan Brown was still recovering from massive facial injuries received in round one. And despite his return listed as just three weeks away, the club is kidding itself if it believes he can solve all their problems.
There is no doubting Brown’s quality and the Lions are a far superior side with Brown in it. However, Brown is turning 30 this year, and playing the toughest position on the ground he no longer dominates the AFL landscape.
Brown’s two premiership foot soldiers in Simon Black and Luke Power could not have been braver on Saturday night and kept a young Lions outfit alive for much of the game.
Black was at the bottom of every pack and continued to surge the ball forward, showing he is still a star of the game whose reputation should be the equal to any player who has played the game over the past decade, but in the end on Saturday he was simply worn out.
The Tigers had thrown about four opponents at him and his weary body could not keep up the intensity in the last quarter that he has been able to deliver in the past.
Similarly, teammate Luke Power has been a super performer and leader at the Lions. The midfielder can play at either end and was asked on Saturday to assist a depleted forward line. Power did so with the class and flair he has shown throughout his long and successful career, kicking four goals.
I walked out of the MCG knowing that even with their champions firing, the Lions now have some major decisions to make to establish their future direction.
Off-field the club has a battle to keep up with the financially stronger clubs in the AFL. From the outside, I continue to hear that growing at the rate other club’s football divisions are growing will be extremely challenging for the Lions.
On-field much has been made of the Lions’ trading decisions going back 18 months and in particular, the contracts some of their mature recruits were given.
My major issue is that it was part of the reason three players in their prime were forced out of the club. Michael Rischitelli, Jared Brennan and Justin Sherman, who would all still be quality players for the Lions, are now all at different clubs.
But what is done is done and the Lions now need to focus on the future as they still have some big decisions ahead - both on the coaching front and in securing their young talent.
I was shocked earlier in the season when I read that a now-resolved contract dispute with Brendan Fevola had put on-hold contract negotiations with young West Australian stars Mitch Clark, Matthew Leuenberger and Daniel Rich.
Obviously the club needed to sort out its finances but the stalemate would have been a green light to other clubs, particularly new franchise Greater Western Sydney, which has ex-Lion Graeme Allan as part of its recruiting team.
Both WA teams also have the opportunity to try and lure these boys home.
Since the dispute I have not heard any mention of whether these three players are likely to be a part of the future for the Brisbane Lions. But after losing three players last year they simply cannot afford to have the trio leave.
The future of coach Michael Voss will also be a talking point later in the year but I don’t think we will find out anything we do not already know about the Lions in the next 18 rounds.
They are young, honest and developing and will have a tough year regardless of highs and lows. With that already known, the Lions board are already in a position where they can determine if Voss is the man to lead these young boys for the next few years, which I believe he is.
Mistakes have been made but not all can be landed at the feet of Voss, and the club needs to move on and look to the future. Rather than waiting for the pressure to mount the club is in a position to set its future direction and assist in club stability.
These are big decisions for this club moving forward and let’s hope for all Lions fans that the club has some positive news in the near future.
