FOLLOWING last Saturday's win over Fremantle, Chris Fagan conceded the "if you stop Lachie Neale, you stop Brisbane" theory from previous years probably had a little merit to it.
After seven rounds of 2023, no one can argue that is still the case.
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With the off-season additions of Josh Dunkley from the Western Bulldogs and Will Ashcroft via the draft, along with a tinkering of the midfield rotation, the Lions are now more even and more dangerous than ever under Fagan's watch.
Neale, the 2020 Brownlow medallist and runner-up in last year's count, dominated against the Dockers with 37 touches that included 13 clearances, but that is now the exception rather than the norm for the team he co-captains.
Neale is still incredibly prolific, but is 'just' 20th for average disposals a game with his 27.4, as Dunkley, Ashcroft, Hugh McCluggage and others share the load.
Speaking to AFL.com.au ahead of Friday night's heavyweight battle against Carlton, McCluggage said the new faces meant a new pre-season mindset.
"We knew they were both amazing players and that they were going to play inside mid for us, so as players we knew it was going to be an advantage because we'd have a lot of different guys that could go through there," he said.
"We knew we'd have to play a variety of roles so that when we weren't in there we could impact in other areas, whether that was wing or forward or wherever."
Neale (88 per cent) and Dunkley (76 per cent) dominate centre bounce attendances when they play, but Fagan has plenty of other faces he has thrown into the coalface this season.
Ashcroft (42 per cent) has spent time there, but not as much as some may think, while McCluggage (39 per cent, down from 55 last year) has shifted to other roles.
Dayne Zorko, Zac Bailey and Jarrod Berry have all attended between four and seven centre bounces a game when Fagan wants to inject speed and power at the game restarts.
"You can feel the connection is improving with each game," McCluggage said.
"Those guys have to learn to play in our system as well. Dunks came from the Bulldogs that played a high handball game, so he might run to a different spot to receive, and that takes time to learn.
"Ashy came from the TAC Cup and you might get a few more one-twos there, which you don't get as much of here. They had to learn as well.
"We're slowly building that connection … and we still have to do it with forwards because they have to learn where these guys like to kick and they're still learning where and when the forwards like to lead.
"You can probably see we're slowly starting to build."
The results of the new midfield have been stark.
Last year the Lions were mid-pack in terms of clearance differential, but in the first third of this season they are clearly the best team in the competition in that department.
Led by Neale (third in the AFL at nearly nine clearances a game), they have averaged 7.3 more clearances each game than their opponent, which is almost double (+3.9) second-best team Gold Coast.
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Dunkley (38 total clearances), ruckman Oscar McInerney (38), Ashcroft (27) and McCluggage (26) have all had an influence in that area.
It gives Brisbane's potent forward line the best chance to succeed.
"There's probably been times in the past where Lachie's been tagged and we haven't lifted our game or done enough to help," McCluggage said.
"I think we are spreading the load more this year, whether it's setting blocks or whether personnel in there have got better at winning the ball.
"It definitely makes it harder for the opposition to read where ball is going at stoppage."
Whether Neale dominates against the Blues and beyond is no longer as critical to Brisbane's success and whether they can make a run to the final game of the season.
