Lions keep focus narrow as AFL pre-season starts
Roger Vaughan |
The last thing Harris Andrews wants to think about at the start of December is the last Saturday of next September.
Brisbane’s two-time AFL premiership co-captain said they would replicate the approach that worked for them so well a year ago as they try to stay at the top of the ladder.
Andrews, fresh from a Europe holiday that featured the wedding of Irish teammate Conor McKenna, joined his fellow Lions on Monday as the full squad started their pre-season.
He laughed when asked if aiming for a flag three-peat was on his mind as he drove to training. Andrews was only thinking about how hot it would be.
“None of us are naive to the fact that it’s a massive mountain to climb, and if you get caught looking too far ahead, then you fall behind,” Andrews said.
“Something we did really well throughout the pre-season last year was breaking down what we wanted to achieve every session and not looking too far ahead. That’s what we’ll do again.”
Of the team that easily beat Geelong in the grand final to go back-to-back, Oscar McInerney has retired, Callum Ah Chee went to Adelaide in the pre-season draft, and Brandon Starcevich is now at West Coast.
The Lions recruited Sam Draper from Essendon, and Andrews is looking forward to picking the brains of former West Coast captain co-captain Oscar Allen.
“We’ve definitely done a really good job over … probably the last five years, of getting some really high-quality recruits,” Andrews said of recruiting Draper and Allen.
“Those guys are the upper echelon of performance.
“To have guys come in with their leadership, guys like Dunks (Josh Dunkley) and obviously Oscar … I will certainly be picking his brain about leadership.
“We’re not naive to the fact that guys are going to move on … we need to keep evolving.”
Andrews was asked about sprint sensation Gout Gout doing some of his training at the Lions’ HQ.
“I could not be further away from moving like Gout Gout … (I have a) shocking running style,” he said.
AAP
