IN RECENT years the Brisbane Lions have been hurt by the 'go home' factor, watching first round pick after first round pick walk out the door early in their careers.
But the tables are slowly starting to turn.
During the 2014 trade period, it was All Australian Dayne Beams requesting a trade from Collingwood to the Lions, wanting to be closer to his ill father Phillip, who was overcoming bowel cancer.
And just last month it was Carlton bull Tom Bell also returning to Queensland where he could be alongside his father Stephen, who is overcoming throat cancer.
That's two midfielders in their prime walking in the Gabba doors in the past 12 months.
For quantity it doesn't make up for the 'Go Home Five' exodus of 2013 that saw Jared Polec (Port Adelaide), Elliot Yeo (West Coast), Sam Docherty (Carlton), Billy Longer (St Kilda) and Patrick Karnezis (Collingwood) return to their home states, but the quality is there.
Bell, who played for QAFL club Morningside before being taken in the 2012 rookie draft by the Blues, has now had a week's training at his new club.
The 24-year-old said he was settling in well after making what was a pretty straightforward decision.
"I'm really close with dad and I wanted to get back to him," Bell told AFL.com.au.
"He was sick last year and that made me realise maybe Melbourne wasn't the place for me and that I wanted to come back and spend a bit more time with my family."
Stephen Bell is now doing well, passing his tests and coming down to watch his son train on a regular basis.
The Lions are trying to combat the go-home factor by producing more home grown talent, and right now it's working.
With Bell's acquisition, the Lions have 10 Queenslanders on their list of 41.
They hope to add to that at next week's NAB AFL Draft with the addition of Lions Academy products Ben Keays and Eric Hipwood.
For Bell though, he's just glad to be back alongside his father, playing for the club he supported as a youngster.
"We were friends with the Leppitsch family when he (coach Justin) was playing," Bell said.
"Him being my coach is a nice coincidence. I'm privileged to play for a club with such good history."
