BRISBANE is preparing to be without forward Eric Hipwood until at least midway through next season as he recovers from knee surgery.
Hipwood missed the Lions' second consecutive premiership after scans revealed a partial tear of the repaired ACL he ruptured in 2021.
He was due to play his 200th career game in the final round of the home and away season against Hawthorn.
However, scans for an injured calf he was dealing with showed something far worse.
Hipwood underwent surgery in early September, and if he matches his previous recovery period of 10 months, would return somewhere around the mid-season bye in 2026.
It will ease what looms as a difficult selection decision for coach Chris Fagan.
The Lions are poised to secure West Coast free agent Oscar Allen in the coming days, adding to a stacked forward line for the premiers.
Allen has been targeted to spearhead Brisbane inside 50, while Hipwood is a regular with his hard running and ability to connect the midfield with the forward line.
Then there's 20-year-old Logan Morris, who kicked 53 goals in his second season and appears a long-term star, and 19-year-old Ty Gallop, who has played just six games, but included a match-shaping preliminary final performance.
Four players do not fit into three spots, so although Hipwood's injury is a huge setback for him individually, it buys Brisbane some time to consider its best structure ahead of the ball.
