Hey Ash, a lot has been said about the Club throughout the off-season, particularly about the apparent small chance we have of being competitive this year. Is there genuinely a feeling within the Club that this is wrong, and that 2011 is no rebuilding year but a year that the Lions will actually challenge?
Dom from Wishart (QLD)

No, I don’t see this as a rebuilding year for this group. We are definitely going to challenge for the finals. We’re confident. Losing Browny and Stakes hasn’t helped but we’ve got plenty of other boys to fill the gaps.

Hi Ash, how is your baby Boonj? Also, I’m getting a sausage dog and don't know what I should name it. Any thoughts? I was thinking maybe Furby or Boonj?
Furby (QLD)

Baby Boonj, Mikayla’s going well. As for the sausage dog, I reckon Drummo would be a better name for a sausage dog.

Sup Ash! Who do you think is going to replace Fev in the goal sqare? I mean, there's Mitch Clark, Todd Banfield and if you get really stuck, just tell Vossy that I'm certainly up for the job!
Myles from Narangba (QLD)

Hey Myles. We’ve got Clark, Toddy Banfield and then other blokes like Rohan Bewick and Ryan Lester who played the first game and played pretty well and would be up to the job. We’ve got a really good group of young boys who can come through and take over in the forward line.

Hey Ash, which up and coming youngster are you most excited about for this season? I’m really excited to watch Polec and Bewick. Also I think Bluey Banfield and Bam Bam will have huge years. Cheers!
Cory from Woodcroft (SA)

Rohan Bewick is definitely pretty exiting to watch, so’s Ryan Lester and a whole bunch of other guys, Patrick Karnezis, Polec, and even someone like Hawksley is looking good this year so hopefully he can get out there this year and show them what he’s got.

Hi Ash, who are you friends with the most on the team? Do you guys hang out together outside of footy?
Matthew from Broadbeach (QLD)

Pretty much everyone’s good mates at the footy club. Now that I’ve got a baby, I tend to hang out more at home. But when I’m at the club I like to hang out with mostly the young boys, gets me feeling a bit younger than what I am at the moment.

Todd Banfield and Richy are pretty close mates, but then again they’ll hang out with anyone because they always tend to forget their wallets when you go out to lunch so they’ll hang off whoever they can.

Do you personally think Brisbane's lack of depth will hurt us this year?
Bato from Endeavour Hills (VIC)

I don’t think we have a lack of depth. I think we have a good group of boys as I said before. Losing guys like Rischa and Brennan really gives other blokes like Tommy Rockliff, Redden, and Polks a chance to step up.

Ash, there are reports that you guys will be faster this year. Does this mean your new nickname is ‘Lightning’?
Bob from Thorneside (QLD)

The boys do look a bit faster this year don’t they. I doubt my name will be ‘Lightning’ though because I reckon I’m slowing down a bit in my old age.

Hi Ash, Just wanted to know, now that we've lost Brent Staker for the season and Jonathon Brown out for 8 weeks, Who is likely to step up to fill their position? thanks Ash
Jake from Cobden (VIC)

Losing Staker and Browny, well as you know we didn’t really have Browny for the pre-season so there’s been boys who’ve been able to stand up in that position, but losing Stakes was a bit hard because he can play forward or back so we’ve got blokes like Tommy Collier and Aaron Cornelius who have been playing well in the Reserves so they’ll be good to go.

Hey Ash, for the past 12 months I've lived and worked in the Central Tanami desert region and have been to a lot of AFL Carnivals in the communities. There are some bloody great players out here. Do the Lions ever look regionally or concentrate more on Alice Springs and Darwin? Remember Liam Jurrah came from Yuendumu and it wasn't long ago he was running bare feet around the dirt ovals.
Dom from Impana (NT)

Hi Dom. The AFL do a great job of promoting the game up there. I suppose it’s really up to our recruiters and talent scouts to get out there and have a look. You can always find a diamond in the rough up in that area, like Liam Jurrah, so hopefully there’ll be more of them coming our way to the Lions!