FORMER Hawk Jordan Lisle didn't expect to be switching clubs in the off-season, but once opportunity knocked, the quietly spoken big man couldn't be happier moving to the Brisbane Lions.

Lisle spent three seasons at Hawthorn, but stuck behind superstar Lance Franklin and the physically dominant Jarryd Roughead in the queue for spots on the forward line, he managed just five games.

So although Lisle had no inkling of the trade talks between the Hawks and Lions, when the trigger was pulled, he was happy to try his luck at a new club.

"I'm loving it," Lisle said.

"Going into trade week I didn't think I was going to be traded, I didn't ask to be traded, but the opportunity arose and in the end it was too good to pass up.

"I'd spent three years at Hawthorn and loved it there but struggled to crack into the side and Brisbane is a developing young group. It was a great opportunity to come up here and hopefully play some senior footy."

Lisle made his debut in round 11 against Fremantle, and despite a case of first-game 'yips' - he registered two behinds from four set shots - showed plenty to suggest he had a future in the forward line.

With Lions' captain Jonathan Brown the only sure key forward selection in Brisbane, Lisle said it was important to have a good pre-season and NAB Cup to prove to the coaches and his teammates he deserved a spot.

He said training alongside the Lions' champion was a totally different experience from rubbing shoulders with Franklin.

"It's pretty hard to compare them because they play a different sort of game but they're both absolute superstars," Lisle said.

"I suppose you pick up little things off both. Buddy is more of a natural athlete than Browny, but you can learn off [Brown] things like positioning and one-on-one contests.

"He's been great with his leadership and direction down there and he's shown me a few things early days as well which has been good."

Lisle, a keen golfer and fisherman, has moved in with ruckman Matthew Leuenberger, and said he was loving the warmer Queensland climate.

"I really like it up here. It's just a relaxed lifestyle and I'm enjoying the change."

Michael Whiting covers Brisbane Lions news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @mike_whiting