BRISBANE Lions captain Tom Rockliff has backed his midfield counterparts to cover the loss of star playmaker Pearce Hanley, who will be sidelined until the middle of the season with a hip injury.
In a bitter blow to the Lions, Hanley's injury was discovered to be worse than expected when he went under the surgeon's knife last week.
The line-breaking Irishman will leave a sizeable hole in the Lions' midfield until at least round 10, but Rockliff said he was confident the club's onballers could fill the breach.
"Dayne Beams. I think you've got a ready-made replacement there," Rockliff said.
"We get Reddo (Jack Redden) and Richy (Daniel Rich) back (from long-term injuries), so it gives us a few more options.
"Ideally you'd love to have Pearce out there, but that's what we've been dealt unfortunately. You've got to look at different ways to go about it.
"If Pearce comes back half-way through the season, it's a bonus for us."
Hanley has been a crucial part of the Lions' midfield since 2011, with the 26-year-old finishing in top four of the Merrett-Murray Medal each season.
He averaged 25 disposals in 20 games last year and collected a career-high 45 touches against Gold Coast in the round 18 QClash.
The Lions were looking forward to unleashing the speedster in a powerful midfield alongside big-name recruits Beams, Allen Christensen and Mitch Robinson early next season.
But he will be out of action for 18 weeks, with his absence following a raft of injuries to key players - including Matthew Leuenberger and Brent Staker – in coach Justin Leppitsch's first year at the helm.
"I did kick the cat a bit after I heard that news. Particularly after last year when we had so many injuries, you're hoping we could get a bit of good luck," Leppitsch said.
"Let's hope this is it - this is the last of it as far as the long-term injuries go."
Hanley's successful operation cleaned up bone and cartilage in his hip, with surgeons saying the injury could have been career-threatening if he played through the season.
The 26-year-old is keen to start his rehabilitation and hopes to start swimming and cycling within a fortnight.
"The body feels good actually which is probably, I wouldn't really say it's frustrating, but I'm on my crutches for six weeks and I'm already tired of them," Hanley told the club's website.
"I can't do too much now, I've just got to rest. That's probably the hardest thing because you want to just start rehab and get back playing straight away."
