BRISBANE Lions fans are lauding Jared Brennan’s growing consistency but it was sheer persistence that helped deliver a match-winning move to the midfield against Adelaide on Saturday night.

Brennan racked up 18 second-half possessions in the 13-point win over the Crows at the Gabba, having joined best-on-ground teammate Luke Power in the centre of the ground at half-time.

The 23-year-old had been pestering Lions midfield coach Adrian Fletcher for another opportunity at a running role and was delighted to have his wish fulfilled.

“I’ve been telling Fletch for a few weeks that I wanted to have a crack in the midfield but we’ve got such a good core group that it’s hard to get a gig in there,” Brennan said.

“I don’t think I’ve been in there on a full-time basis since the Geelong game (round seven). I’ve sort of been in there for a few minutes here and there and that’s about it.

“I played the first half in the forward line and it can get frustrating for forwards because the Crows zone back so well.

“Going into the midfield, it was so much easier to get into the game.”

Brennan’s emergence as a consistent footballer capable of playing a major midfield role is testament to his increasing maturity and the value of a solid pre-season.

Having been plagued by injuries in his first few years at the Gabba, he was finally able to undertake a full summer campaign.

No longer spending significant chunks of free time pondering football has also assisted his development.

“You don’t realise until you do a full one how crucial a (full pre-season) is,” Brennan said.

“I’ve still got a long way to go to be able to play four quarters in the midfield. But I’ve got a base there and hopefully next pre-season I will get another base and go from there.

“I (also) don’t live and breathe football like used to. I’ll probably go home tonight and not watch another match until we come into the club on Tuesday and review the game.

“My brain isn’t consumed with football, football, football. I’ll just chill out with my two daughters and probably watch the Sunday Roast rugby league show on TV tomorrow.”

Brennan said the Lions entered the clash with the Crows desperate to avoid a repeat of the non-competitive round-12 display against the Western Bulldogs.

“We had to make up for last week. It was an appalling effort and something we haven’t done all year,” he said.

“All year we’ve been roundabouts with our tackling and chasing pressure and last week was a real downer.

“We had to get back to the standards we’d set during the year and we did that tonight.”