Daniher’s retirement remains to be hurting the ‘mixing and matching’ Lions

Lachie Neale admits the Brisbane Lions are scuffling with to seek out ahead connection in Joe Daniher’s absence as they appear to snuff out a kind droop.

Daniher retired after closing season’s grand ultimate triumph with 58 targets to his identify for the marketing campaign, leaving Brisbane in search of a brand new spearhead to enroll in Eric Hipwood.

Former Gold Coast veteran Sam Day used to be introduced into the fold, whilst Darcy Gardiner used to be refashioned right into a ahead after making his comeback from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Day kicked two targets throughout seven video games ahead of being sidelined for 6 weeks with a hamstring damage in spherical 8.

Lincoln McCarthy, who ruptured his ACL in the similar fit as Gardiner, stays sidelined after re-injuring his proper knee.

It used to be Gardiner who led the way in which at the scoreboard closing weekend in opposition to Melbourne, however his four-goal effort wasn’t sufficient to stop what trainer Chris Fagan referred to as a fourth-quarter “annihilation” on the Gabba.

Young ahead Logan Morris, who additionally overlooked sport time with a calf damage, kicked 3 targets of their 11-point loss.

“We’re getting used to (Daniher’s absence). The forward half of the ground is the one that we’ve had the most ability in the past and this year it’s the opposite,” Lions captain Neale stated on Tuesday.

“We’re probably searching for our best seven or eight in that part of the ground and what that looks like still.

“Probably still mix and matching a little bit there.

“Hopefully we don’t get any more injuries through there and start to find some consistency, but I think on the weekend, we had a lot of opportunities, we just butchered it a little bit.”

In their closing 5 fits, second-placed Brisbane (7-2) have received two times received, misplaced two times and drawn with bottom-two aspect North Melbourne.

“The group’s still pretty hungry, otherwise we would have thrown in the towel early in the year,” Neale stated.

“It feels like the last couple of weeks, maybe we’ve just been a little bit frustrated and not playing our best footy when we feel like we should be playing better.

“Maybe it’s in our heads a little bit, so just got to release the shackles a bit.

“We’ve been through far worse periods than this, so we’re not panicking.”

Brisbane ruck Oscar McInerney, who dislocated his shoulder in closing 12 months’s initial ultimate, will likely be taking a look to end up his health after being withdrawn overdue with soreness from their Demons conflict.

“Clearly a little bit sore, and he had an interrupted pre-season after his shoulder op at the end of the year, so his body’s probably just trying to catch up,” Neale stated.

“I’m not sure if he’ll play this week, but I think he’ll try and train and we’ll see how we go, but he doesn’t let on too much on what he’s going through.”

© AAP