With Jonathan Brown out for at least eight weeks with facial fractures, Brent Staker gone for the season with a knee and Brendan Fevola sacked over summer, the Lions' forward set up has been forcibly altered.
The 20-year-old, who played every game last season in just his second year, said he wanted to stand up as one of the most experienced forwards left in the side as the Lions looked to rebound from an early two losses.
"It's a bit different being one of the more experienced. It's not something I'm scared of; I've got to look at it as an opportunity and then learn from it and teach young guys and help them out as much as possible," he told afl.com.au this week.
"We've been pretty predictable over the last few years with Browny and Fev, and I suppose other teams always knew where we were heading.
"Now we have a bit more unpredictability with four or five small guys and maybe one or two talls.
"It's going to be different for the opposition because we haven't played like that for awhile."
The Lions have parked Mitch Clark at full forward now, leaving fellow big man Matthew Leuenberger to handle most of the ruck work.
Banfield said he had plenty of confidence in Clark, who kicked nine goals last year - five of which were against Adelaide in round 20 - to stand up and take on the challenge of being the Lions' main target.
"He's had a great pre-season and it will be different for him because he's played the last couple of years in the ruck a lot more," he said.
"Now we've got Leuey up and going, he's going to play there more and make a big contest in the forward 50.
"I think it's going to be a little bit different and we'll have to get used to it but we'll be able to work it out and play together as a good forward line that can kick a winning score."
Banfield named Jesse O'Brien, Rohan Bewick, Ryan Lester, Bryce Retzlaff and his housemate Jared Polec as players who had the potential to make a difference at senior level this year.
He also said Brown's presence around training over the past week had made a difference to the morale of the side.
"I've seen him a couple of times. He was at training this morning and I managed to have a quick word to him," he said.
"He's travelling well and he's looking a bit better. He's still a bit swollen but at least he can walk around now.
"His presence lifts everyone because he's such an important player for the group, not just with how he plays but also his leadership."
