ON PURE talent alone, there's an argument Brisbane has just executed the best off-season of an established top-four team this century.
Josh Dunkley and Jack Gunston were acquired during the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, then it was Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher through the NAB AFL Draft, and finally Irishman Conor McKenna via the pre-season supplemental selection period.
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That's at least three – possibly four – players likely to be in contention to play round one in 2023 for a team that made it to a preliminary final, and has been among the top four the past four seasons.
It represents a huge influx of high-end talent for coach Chris Fagan.
Whether they address the Lions' shortcomings as genuine flag contenders will only be resolved once matches get underway – and something we will dissect shortly – but how do the additions stack up against other contenders since 2000?
Hawthorn's three-peat team of 2013-2015 was famous for topping up its list during that period, particularly via free agency.
The Hawks added Brian Lake after losing to Sydney in 2012, Ben McEvoy after winning against Fremantle in 2013 and James Frawley after knocking off the Swans in 2014.
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But these were usually one-off additions, with the Hawks prepared to offload their draft capital in the chase for high-end talent.
Their most lucrative haul in one hit came after falling to the Western Bulldogs in pursuit of a fourth straight premiership in 2016, when they acquired Tom Mitchell, Jaeger O'Meara (who hadn't played the previous two seasons with knee problems), Ricky Henderson and Ty Vickery.
Collingwood's off-season following its heartbreaking 2018 Grand Final loss to West Coast is also right up there.
The Magpies got Dayne Beams, who had just been chosen in the 40-man All-Australian squad, back from the Lions, added key defender Jordan Roughead and then got the cherry of Isaac Quaynor through their Next Generation Academy.
Geelong, another powerhouse this century, has also had success with adding players while in the premiership window.
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The Cats added Jared Rivers and a young Josh Caddy in 2012, and then after a rare disappointing 2015, went out and got Patrick Dangerfield from Adelaide, Lachie Henderson from Carlton, Zac Smith from Gold Coast and an unproven Sam Menegola through the draft.
A couple of other contenders are Sydney's stealth poaching of Lance Franklin via free agency in 2013 and Richmond adding Gold Coast captain Tom Lynch in 2018 – both teams fresh off top-four finishes and having won premierships a year before.
Which brings us back to Brisbane.
Are its additions just good 'names' on a sheet of paper, or do they help the Lions close the gap between a preliminary final and that elusive premiership?
Trying to predict a best 22 three months before the season is often just guesswork. Brisbane's team has a few moving parts with Marcus Adams still recovering from concussion that derailed the end of his 2022 and Jarryd Lyons on the recovery from minor groin surgery that hampered his second half of last season.
Where does Ashcroft fit? Who plays wing? Here's a rough outline of who might take the field against Port Adelaide in the opening round next season should everyone be fit.
Brisbane's best 22 for round one, 2023
B: Darcy Gardiner, Harris Andrews, Brandon Starcevich
HB: Daniel Rich, Marcus Adams, Keidean Coleman
C: Noah Answerth, Josh Dunkley, Will Ashcroft
HF: Cam Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Dayne Zorko
FF: Jack Gunston, Joe Daniher, Charlie Cameron
Foll: Oscar McInerney, Lachie Neale, Hugh McCluggage
Int: Cal Ah Chee, Jarrod Berry, Zac Bailey, Linc McCarthy
The unlucky players who could easily force their way in include Lyons, Darcy Wilmot, Deven Robertson, McKenna, Jaxon Prior and Kai Lohmann.
Dunkley, fresh off winning the Western Bulldogs' best and fairest, is by far the biggest acquisition for the immediate future.
He is not only a ball-winner to complement Neale, McCluggage and Lyons, but more importantly, he has also proven to have a defensive mindset over his seven-season career.
One gaping hole in the Lions' premiership credentials has been their ability to defend, particularly in the forward line and the middle of the ground, which Dunkley should help address.
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Gunston also looms as a big inclusion. He essentially replaces Dan McStay, who headed to Collingwood, even though they're different types of players.
Gunston will play alongside Daniher and Hipwood in a potent three-tall attack. While McStay played the bash-and-crash, run-up-to-the-wing connector role, he would usually get the opposition's third tall defender.
Gunston is likely to play closer to the goalsquare, allowing Hipwood and Daniher room to roam, and which opposition wants to leave their third-string defender on the three-time premiership Hawk?
Ashcroft is readymade to make an impact, although it will be interesting to see where he plays with a log-jammed midfield and half-forward line.
He, like Dunkley, has shown a defensive intent in his junior footy to complement his ball-winning capability.
McKenna is a low-risk wildcard. He played his best footy for Essendon as a running defender, which the Lions could do with. However, they already have two attacking weapons in Rich and Coleman, so getting the balance right will be important.
Perhaps, if his fitness progresses after two years away from the game, he could vie for a wing spot?
Whichever way you cut it, Brisbane's off-season has been as good as any contender this century, adding grunt, speed, a defensive balance and another goalkicking option to an already potent lone-up.
They still have plenty of questions to answer in 2023, but one that doesn't hang over them is: do they have enough talent?
