2011 snapshot
Ladder position: 15th; 4W, 18L
Leading goalkicker: Mitch Clark (27)
Leading possession winner: Simon Black (590)
Played every game: Simon Black, Pearce Hanley, Matthew Leuenberger, James Polkinghorne, Jack Redden
Debutants: Rohan Bewick (12 games), Patrick Karnezis (11), Bryce Retzlaff (11), Niall McKeever (10), Mitchell Golby (eight), Claye Beams (five), Josh Green (five), Ryan Lester (three), Jared Polec (three), Broc McCauley (three), Josh Dyson (one).

Stats leaders
Toyota AFL Dream Team: Jack Redden (2316)
Kicks: Tom Rockliff (310)
Handballs: Simon Black (305)
Marks: Pearce Hanley (130)
Hit-outs: Matthew Leuenberger (724)
Clearances: Simon Black (116)
Contested possessions: Simon Black (278)
Uncontested possessions: Simon Black (337)

List manager
When fit, the Lions' midfield looks settled. They have a number of ball winners but could do with some more outside speed. The major area for improvement is key-position players, and sidekicks are required for both Jonathan Brown up forward and Daniel Merrett down back. Young players are developing in each area, but another would not hurt.

Games that shaped a season
Rd 1: Fremantle 13.16 (94) d Brisbane Lions 14.8 (92)
Leading deep into the third quarter, the Lions' season would be turned upside down when Jonathan Brown's face met an accidental Luke McPharlin knee. The Lions lost in the final minutes, while Brown and utility Brent Staker (ACL) would miss significant chunks of the season.

Rd 7: Gold Coast 18.16 (124) d Brisbane Lions 17.14 (116)
The first QClash simmered in the build-up with Simon Black and Suns coach Guy McKenna lobbing verbal grenades prior to the match. The Suns stunned their cross-town rival with an exhilarating win that would heap pressure on Lions coach Michael Voss who had a 0-6 record.

Rd 9: Brisbane Lions 10.13 (73) d North Melbourne 8.11 (59)
Finally the Lions cracked their duck and it was no surprise the return of Brown from his round one injury was the catalyst. Brown kicked four goals on the wet Gabba night to help ease the pressure on Voss.

Rd 17: Geelong 20.13 (133) d Brisbane Lions 15.14 (104)
With the Lions on the verge of a major upset, the injury curse would strike again. Brown was involved in a sickening collision with Geelong's Harry Taylor that would end his season with more facial surgery. The Lions let a three-quarter time lead slip as the Cats stormed home.

 Rd 20: Adelaide 16.14 (110) d Brisbane Lions 16.9 (105)
Of all the butchered fourth-quarter leads, this would hurt the Lions the most. They led by 20 points midway through the final term, but under interim coach Mark Bickley, the Crows slammed on the last four goals to steal victory.

What went right
After a disastrous 2010 on and off field, the Lions regained a steely resolve that ensured any opponent knew they were in for a tough battle. Amid a host of injuries, they also unearthed a number of long-term players. Irishman Pearce Hanley was a revelation with his run from half-back, while countryman Niall McKeever showed promise as a key-position defender. Matthew Leuenberger, Tom Rockliff and Jack Redden helped Simon Black to elevate the Lions' midfield, while the switch of Ash McGrath to the forward line had good results. The greatest win for the Lions came off the field as they re-signed almost all of their young talent to multiple-year deals.

What went wrong
Whether it was poor skill, poor fitness or poor decision making, the Lions made a habit of losing fourth quarter leads at the Gabba. Five times they led in the final term, only to lose. Injuries also wreaked havoc with key men Brown (missed 12 games), Merrett (12 games), Josh Drummond (15 games), Staker (15 games) and Daniel Rich (six games) missing large chunks of the season. The mature-age signing splurge at end of 2009 continued to fizzle, with the sacked Brendan Fevola, Matt Maguire, Xavier Clarke (injury) and Amon Buchanan having minimal impact, while Staker's season was wrecked by injury. However, Andrew Raines finished strongly after a slow start.

Critical moment
Losing to the Suns in round seven not only spelled trouble for Voss but also signalled an early end to the Lions' finals aspirations. They were 0-6 and with the coach under pressure, the focus quickly shifted to getting more games into the team's youth. The long-term approach should pay dividends in the coming seasons.

Most valuable player
Jonathan Brown. No doubt the Lions' chances still heavily revolve around the commanding presence of Brown. When he played, the Lions were 3-7 (he was injured in two of those losing games and it should be noted that the Lions were leading when he was on the field) and were 1-11 without him. The stats don't lie.

Coach's pet
Jack Redden. The third-year midfielder is as honest as the day is long. He's tough, durable and dependable, is second in the League for tackles, and Voss knows exactly what he'll get from him, whether that's in the middle or at half-forward.

Next big thing
After another stellar season, young midfielder Tom Rockliff is on the cusp of elite status. A prolific ball winner who has built his tank nicely, the 21-year-old began to do more damage in the forward half as the season wore on to round out his game.

Needs a big pre-season
Aaron Cornelius. The gifted forward was out of favour with Voss for much of the season but got his chance from round 18 onwards and showed glimpses of his talent. Has the best hands in the club but his lack of work-rate has concerned the coaching staff. If he addresses that area, Cornelius can be a perfect foil for Brown in the forward 50. After another injury-interrupted season, influential half-back Drummond needs to get his body right and repay the club's faith.

Trading places
There's been speculation for the past three months and the Lions have still not been able to finalise a deal with forward/ruck Mitch Clark. The big Western Australian has been linked with GWS and Fremantle and although the Lions are keen to keep him, there is no guarantee he will be in the maroon, blue and gold in 2012.

What they said
"We think we've got good talent coming through and we've been able to expose them to some footy this year. There's some genuine things to like. The next level is being able to maintain that intensity for 120 minutes and that's the consistency you need."
Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss.

In a nutshell
They won only four matches but the Lions unearthed the talent and showed a steel and hunger that provides plenty of hope for the future.

Overall grade: C

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs