TWO-TIME premier Brisbane appeared to get even stronger over the off-season, but there's one giant hole that needs to be filled in 2026.
On the surface, gaining Oscar Allen from West Coast, Sam Draper from Essendon and highly touted Academy draftee Dan Annable, among others, was a huge positive, but the Lions also bid farewell to Brandon Starcevich, who accepted an offer from West Coast.
Although his departure might not have made the biggest ripple around the competition, the Lions and those that watched him closely know the value of Starcevich's position.
The 26-year-old, who blanketed Tom Papley and Patrick Dangerfield in the past two Grand Finals, was usually responsible for locking down the opposition's most dangerous small to medium-sized forward.
Chris Fagan could bank on it. Week in. Week out.
Who's up for that task moving forward? Veteran defender Ryan Lester says there's one obvious candidate.
"There's not many players that play like him (Starcevich) in the competition, as well as he does, but you'd probably say Noah Answerth is a similar player," Lester said on Wednesday morning.
"He's very reliable, and a good player on those dangerous small forwards.
"We lose someone of good quality, but we think we've got enough quality players to fill that gap."
Answerth played in the Lions' 2024 premiership and was a regular in last year's team before rupturing his Achilles against Carlton in July.
He is recovering well and is on track to be available for selection at the start of the season.
Lester said there was a couple of other players impressing that would keep pressure on spots in a backline that has been relatively settled.
"We had 'Noz' (Answerth) and Kiddy (Coleman) miss large parts of last year so there's going to be a squeeze," he said.
"Guys like Luke Lloyd and Zane Zakostelsky (both entering their third season) are really impressing and improving. Like any club, we've got lots of options and it’s exciting."
Lester, Brisbane's longest tenured player, is in his 16th pre-season and said he still had plenty of motivation as his club attempts to make it a hat-trick of premierships in 2026.
"I feel very lucky to play for a team that's won two premierships, but it's the quality of players I get to play with every week who you form really strong relationships and bonds with (that motivates me).
"Whether this is my last year, you never get that chance again. That's something I enjoy the most about playing, running out there and competing and knowing you've got those guys' back and they've got yours.
That's probably my main motivator, that I want to continue fulfilling that part of my role."
