THE BRISBANE Lions are set to beef up their football department with the appointment of former Fitzroy great Michael Conlan.
Conlan is currently the CEO of AFL Queensland but is in negotiations with the Lions to take on the newly-created role of football chief.
He is expected to accept the position shortly.
The role will see Conlan sit at the top of the football department, reporting to Lions CEO Malcolm Holmes and the board of directors.
Dean Warren would remain the general manager of football, running all football operations and list and recruitment decisions.
Conlan brings a number of things to the role, including a great link to the club's past with his 210 games and 395 goals for Fitzroy making him a fan-favourite over a long period.
He also brings clout in the business world, having worked for major companies including Nike, Reebok/Adidas and running his own company, Conlan Consulting.
Conlan also worked for three years with the AFL, leading the corporate team that secured major partnerships including Fosters, former Auskick partner Simpson and NAB.
It's a big coup for the Lions who have been craving a greater presence in their football department.
They have also made a submission to the AFL Commission requesting extra finance to ensure they pay 100 per cent of their salary cap.
The Lions currently pay around 95 per cent.
The submission should be dealt with at the Commission's next meeting in two weeks.
