TWO WEEKS ago the Brisbane Lions were a club in strife.
The captain Tom Rockliff and coach Justin Leppitsch were under fire.
Quality midfielder Jack Redden had requested a trade despite having a year to run on his contract.
Uncertainty surrounded a conga line of players and another exodus seemed possible.
Adding insult to injury was a final round win that lifted the Lions off the bottom of the ladder and suddenly put their No.2 pick, needed to obtain a coveted tall such as Jacob Weitering or Josh Schache, at risk.
None of the issues surrounding those headlines have completely disappeared but the negative tide that threatened to swamp the club seems to have receded.
The club has declared it will play hardball during the trade period with any contracted player who indicates he wants to leave and declared that Stefan Martin and Sam Mayes won't be traded.
Respected list manager Peter Schwab, who is based in Melbourne, will spend one week per month inside the football department when next season gets rolling, mentoring the coaches and providing a much needed sounding board.
New football manager Matt Francis, who is spending time determining roles and responsibilities and organising the football department, has put his feet under the desk.
Craig Lambert arrived last week to begin life with the fancy title of strategy and retention manager. A friend of Leppitsch, his straight-shooting style will be required if the coach ever needs a tap on the shoulder to stay composed.
And a high performance manager, believed to be from a club with a good injury record that is still in the finals race, has been appointed after injuries decimated the Lions in the past two seasons.
But recognising change is needed in personnel and style is one thing.
Creating a culture that can improve the on and off-field performance is the challenge that lies ahead.
Empathy and care is needed as well as good decision-making.
AFL.com.au confronted the questions facing the club in what promises to be an interesting period between now and the draft on November 24.
How many players will the Lions lose during the trade period?
Not as many as outsiders first feared.
Despite the mystery surrounding his intentions, James Aish still looks much more likely to go than stay.
Collingwood remains the frontrunner but other clubs are starting to panic that Hawthorn might be in the frame the longer his intentions remain unknown.
The Hawks are understood to have little space in their salary cap to make it happen but other clubs remain wary.
Matthew Leuenberger looks set to leave with the Sydney Swans, Essendon and Fremantle possible destinations.
As a free agent, he can walk and the Lions are unlikely to match any offer, as they know Martin and Leuenberger are better off plying their trade solo. They also know they will receive compensation for the 26-year-old.
The Lions will play hardball on Redden although his relationship with the coach had deteriorated before he decided to seek a fresh start, while they won't even entertain trading Martin or Mayes.
Jack Redden has requested a trade from the Lions. Picture: AFL Media
In what areas does the coach need to improve?
Justin Leppitsch's reputation has taken a hit this season.
He was guilty of spreading himself thin and needs to trust those with expertise in other areas of the club to do their job.
Obviously he felt the pressure at times and reacted accordingly.
When CEO Greg Swann said on radio at half-time of the final game the coach now understood you "need to alter the way you deal with some people versus others" it gave an extraordinary insight into the challenges facing the coach.
Credit to the Lions, they have backed Leppitsch's coaching and management expertise and brought in people they think can improve the club rather than putting everything that failed at the feet of the coach.
Schwab, who is based in Melbourne, will be spending about a week per month in Brisbane supporting Leppitsch and the other coaches as the develops his approach as coach.
Riding out those rough edges will be a challenge for Leppitsch but he needs to find a way to do so to ensure he plays the role he is employed to do.
What does the football department need?
Good football departments have a strong football manager and a process that leads to robust discussion and consensus decision-making.
In strong clubs there is a saying 'let the baker bake the bread'.
Francis is new to the role and he needs to prove himself capable of both challenging and working in tandem with Leppitsch. All sources suggest he has empathy and care for people but the challenge will be getting the respect of the players and staff around him.
Lambert has a strong track record in player relations and is a quality recruit but the club must be conscious of supporting him to ensure the wide brief that now encompasses the role is covered.
Reducing injuries will be one measure the new physical performance manager will be judged upon. The person in the role must be allowed to run his program in consultation with the coach but without unnecessary interference.
The CEO must also keep a close eye on the management of the football department without becoming too entrenched in football decisions.
The challenge for the Lions is to create a football program that attracts and retains players.
What is the playing list like?
Injuries to key players did hurt in 2015.
Pearce Hanley's loss was huge and young key position players Michael Close and Jonathan Freeman missed too much football.
Rockliff also battled injury and heavy knocks at the start of the season. The club played 40 players and five players made their debut including the talented key position defender Harris Andrews.
They have a midfield that is the envy of many clubs but they did not gel often, appearing more concerned at times with racking up numbers then sacrificing for each other as the best midfield groups do each week.
That will come with time but only if the culture is right.
And, it must be said, the decision to let Jed Adcock go left many people shaking their heads. Time will tell on that one.
Is the captain the right man for the job?
Absolutely if he takes the criticism that headed his way at the end of the season on the chin to ensure he emerges a better leader for the experience.
It's no good wishing you played in the '80s. The time is now.
A modern playing group is made up of different characters with different backgrounds and the great skippers accept that to be the case.
Regardless of whether you are a country boy with a lust for life or a more introspective character there must be a place for you within a club.
Does losing James Aish actually matter?
It depends who you talk to about Aish.
Some consider him limited while others have retained the fondness they had for him before the Lions used pick seven to select him in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft.
He has averaged 16 disposals in 32 games and kicked just eight goals. He can play but he is yet to prove he is a superstar in waiting.
However given the circumstances that surrounded him in the Lions he would be expected to perform better in a new environment.
If he goes, there should be no Mummy Boys statements which only foster perceptions of an unwelcome environment. The old 'we respect his decision and the service he gave' cliché will be quite enough.
Will James Aish leave the club in the off-season? Picture: AFL Media
Was winning the final round a mistake?
No, no and no. If ever a club needed a win to hit the off-season feeling good, it was the Lions. The best clubs deal with what is in front of them and winning that game was what mattered most.
As it turns out, despite some nervous moments, it's looking likely the club will still have pick two and be able to access Jacob Weitering or Josh Schache in the draft.
What positive developments lie ahead?
The Lions have access to highly rated academy graduates Eric Hipwood and Ben Keays this season.
Both were excellent in the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships and have bright futures.
Hipwood is a lean and mobile tall while Keays is a midfielder with an excellent work rate.
Add their names to three players potentially acquired in the first 25 picks of the NAB AFL Draft (depending on what compensation they get for losing Leuenberger) the list will be in good shape.
Do the Lions deserve a priority pick?
No.
Admittedly they have few top 10 picks on their list (a good indicator of premiership potential) but the Lions used picks four and eight to get ruckmen Leuenberger and Billy Longer, who is now with St Kilda.
The Lions traded away picks five, 21, 25 and Jack Crisp for Dayne Beams last season and looked to have an A-grade midfield heading into the season.
They also went for gold in 2010 when they took in Brendan Fevola and disenfranchised several players and lost Lachie Henderson to the Blues.
They obviously have not received any of the benefits the other northern states have been granted in recent seasons but they have talent emerging from their academy and have been aggressive in the trade markets.
