THE BRISBANE Lions may direct some verbal barbs at Jared Polec when they take on Port Adelaide on Saturday but Tom Rockliff has denied they will "target" their former teammate.
Rockliff was the most outspoken of the Lions when Polec – one of five young players to request a trade after the 2013 season – decided to head back to his home state and play for Port Adelaide.
After Polec specifically asked to go to Port, Rockliff tweeted: "How can kids name there [sic] club they want to go to when they have played a handful of games? #spellme #aheadofyourself"
But Polec got his way, and after three seasons and 16 games at the Lions, the former No.5 draft pick got his wish and has flourished under new coach Ken Hinkley.
After playing three of his best senior games to open the season, racking up 24, 20 and 19 disposals, Polec would not go un-noticed when the teams met at Adelaide Oval, Rockliff said.
"I'm sure he'll get a couple of reminders from a few of the boys on the weekend, there's no doubt about that," Rockliff said.
"But to say we're going to go out there and target him, I don't think that's going to be the case."
The Lions' vice-captain said his side had more to worry about than just Polec after being belted by Gold Coast on Saturday.
He said they would have to keep on eye on other Port midfielders like Hamish Hartlett and Travis Boak as well.
"Obviously we'd love to still have him (Polec) here playing for us, but that's the circumstances, he chose to go home," Rockliff said.
"He's got his chance. He is a fourth-year player and a first-round draft pick.
"It's more important that we focus on us now and not worry about the past."
The Lions will make the journey to Adelaide without two of their most important cogs following the ACL injury to midfielder Daniel Rich and the two-game suspension to fullback Daniel Merrett.
Rockliff said Merrett's high hit on David Swallow was a "brain fade" and one the team had discussed.
"I think he'll learn from that and moving forward hopefully we won't have any more incidents like that."
