Lions ruckman Matthew Leuenberger, red, tussles with developing tall Billy Longer. Picture: Adam Armstrong Source: The Courier-Mail
BRISBANE are prepared to hand teenager Billy Longer No.1 ruckman duties in the season opener against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Longer's emergence during the NAB Cup, especially his effort in the grand final win over Carlton, has given coach Michael Voss and his match committee the confidence to allow the badly underdone Matthew Leuenberger an NEAFL hit-out to build match conditioning.
Football manager Dean Warren said the make-up of the side would not be discussed until today and Leuenberger still had the week's main training session to push his case for senior selection.
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However the side was now in the position where they did not need to rush the 24-year-old straight into the side.
"Pleasingly Billy Longer has been in good form, that is why the last couple of weeks have been important, now we know he is capable of playing the game out,'' Warren said.
"If it decided Lewey needs a week in the twos, we know Billy can do the job.
"I thought he was pretty good in the NAB Cup grand final.''
Leuenberger managed just three games last year because of an achilles injury.
He experienced some back tightness midway through the NAB Cup and did not play in the final.
However, he underwent an epidural injection and managed a half a game in the reserves two weekends ago.
He stayed at the club for some extra conditioning work while the rest of the players were enjoying a four day break after the NAB Cup.
But because the Lions' NEAFL side had a bye on the weekend, he has not been able to gain match fitness.
Voss said Leuenberger was a "50-50'' chance of playing, while Simon Black (knee) might miss up to the first four rounds, as expected.
Warren said he had no injury concerns and was in full health and the selection decision would come down to his fitness.
"He's training now, we just need to decide if he needs a full game in the seconds,'' he said.
Voss yesterday declared the NAB Cup form would have no bearing on the premiership season and insisted his side would need to find an extra "20 per cent" improvement against the Bulldogs.
That improvement must come from the younger players.
"We need Billy Longer, Elliot Yeo, Mitch Golby, Patrick Karnezis, Josh Green and Claye Beams to have career-best seasons,'' he said.
"It (the midfield) is an area we need to improve in our game. It hasn't been a strength of ours for two years.
Results have been favourable though the NAB Cup but now you've got to do it under some serious heat."
"We understand the importance of the first month of the season,'' he said.
"The last couple of years, we haven't got away with a good start and, as a result, we have been chasing the pack for the rest of the year.
"Players need that encouragement through results. We have come into the season in a healthy state but it guarantees us nothing.''
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