BRISBANE coach Chris Fagan has opened up about the club's pursuit of Joe Daniher, and how he thinks the former Bomber can help the Lions take the next step in 2021.
Put simply, the Lions wanted a "big dog" in their forward line and 201cm Daniher fit the bill.
More broadly, Fagan sees the acquisition of the broad shouldered former All Australian as a perfect complement to an already potent mix.
"I think from the time I've been here, Eric Hipwood and Dan McStay have had to carry a big load in our forward line," Fagan told AFL.com.au.
"If you look at premiership sides across the years, there's usually one big gun forward up there that really worries the opposition.
"I always felt that Eric and Dan … would always be better with one of those big dogs around them that attracts the attention of the opposition.
SCRATCH MATCHES Who your club is playing
"I'd been talking to (list manager) Dom Ambrogio about the right player for a few years now and it just so happened that Joe became available and we've been able to get him to the club."
Since finalising his free agency move in November, Daniher has fitted seamlessly into both his new city and new club.
He stayed in Brisbane right through Christmas, training with his new teammates as they scattered around the city before official pre-season kicked off in the New Year.
Fagan said Daniher was one of only two or three players to complete "absolutely everything" during the pre-season, putting aside a run of injuries that badly curtailed his past three years.
Brisbane has been among the top three scoring teams the past two seasons with Hipwood, McStay, Cam Rayner, Lincoln McCarthy and dynamic Charlie Cameron offering plenty of avenues to goal.
However, Fagan said since his days at Hawthorn with Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and David Hale, the thought of three genuine marking targets had appealed.
AAMI COMMUNITY SERIES Check out the pre-season fixture
"Hipwood is over 200cm, so is Joe, so you can't put a short bloke on them," Fagan said.
"McStay isn't quite as tall, but he's a great overhead mark.
"It is very difficult to stop.
"If you look at those three, they've all got speed and ability at ground level.
"Eric's probably a better runner than Joe and can get up and down the ground more, so he can play higher.
"I think Joe's a better close-to-goal forward and a really really good second ruckman, not just a makeshift second ruckman.
"If he's going to do that, which he probably will, he doesn't need to be running up and down the ground so much.
"They can complement each other. That's Eric's greatest strength and that's Joe's greatest strength, so where we can, we'll play them to their strengths."
CIRCLE THEM IN YOUR CALENDAR The 20 matches of 2021 you won't want to miss
The three tall left-footers got their first taste of action together at the Lions' intraclub on Friday night, with all three taking marks inside 50 in the first quarter.
"He's in great nick," Fagan said of Daniher.
"He's a really good person, he's a great student of the game, he understands it and he's got a great footy brain when he plays.
"Touch wood he stays sound and continues to enjoy his football and he can have a really positive impact on us."
