Brisbane young gun Levi Ashcroft is being tipped for the task of filling the “massive void” caused by Lachie Neale’s season-ending injury.<\/p>\n
Dual Brownlow medallist Neale won’t play again this year after tearing a calf in the Lions’ 38-point qualifying final drubbing from Geelong.<\/p>\n
Neale’s injury diagnosis came with confirmation key forward Eric Hipwood, who missed the clash against the Cats, requires a knee reconstruction.<\/p>\n
Lions stalwart Josh Dunkley nominated Levi Ashcroft to swing from his customary wing position and replace Neale in the midfield in Saturday night’s semi-final against Gold Coast.<\/p>\n
“Losing Lach and even Hippy, we lost them a couple of weeks ago [too] so it’s a great opportunity for our young guys,” Dunkley told reporters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“It’s a similar sort of message to what we had a few weeks ago.”<\/p>\n
Dunkley said while Neale would be missed, Rising Star contender Levi Ashcroft had the tools to replace the co-captain in the midfield.<\/p>\n
“Obviously a massive void, but we’re confident that within our youth we can cover that,” Dunkley said.<\/p>\n
“The message is just having belief in what we do as a footy club.<\/p>\n
“The culture, the development program that we run \u2014 everyone is ready to go when we need them.<\/p>\n
“And we’ve got a lot of guys that can fill that midfield void if we do lose a soldier.<\/p>\n
“Levi Ashcroft plays on the wing, I have talked about him being really selfless for us as a team, and he’s one of the guys that will put his hand up this week to take that [Neale] role.”<\/p>\n
Brisbane reviewed their heavy loss to Geelong on Monday with Dunkley saying there were “plenty of things” to improve.<\/p>\n
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“But as soon as we walked out of that meeting, it was all about this week,” he said.<\/p>\n
“You learn lessons along the way and it’s about definitely implementing them moving forward.<\/p>\n
“But at the same time, we’ve got another job this week that we’re fully focused on.”<\/p>\n
That job is taking the wind from Gold Coast’s sails after the Suns’ stirring one-point elimination final away win against Fremantle.<\/p>\n
“Ever since I moved up here to Brisbane, I’ve always thought whether or not it was a rivalry,” said Dunkley, who joined the Lions from the Western Bulldogs at the end of 2022.<\/p>\n
“And it certainly is, because it [Gold Coast] is just down the road and we play some ripping games against each other.<\/p>\n
“Whether it’s a final or whether it’s a home and away game, I see it as the same thing.<\/p>\n
“It’s just another great opportunity \u2014 two clubs going at it, and then the winner obviously plays in a prelim next week against the Pies \u2026 we know it’s going to be a cracking contest.”<\/p>\n
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