Brisbane Lions milestone man Zac Bailey remains to be adjusting to the additional consideration he’s receiving from cautious rivals as he battles to rediscover the shape which made him one of many AFL’s most dynamic attacking weapons.
Bailey, 23, will make his a hundredth AFL look on Saturday when the Lions meet the GWS Giants in Canberra.
Bailey’s Lions journey, which started in 2018, has coincided with the membership’s rise from easybeats to premiership contenders.
“I got to the club at a pretty good time,” Bailey mentioned on Tuesday.
“The years before I got there were pretty grim, so to be able to be there when the club is on the rise was really good.
“When I got to the club, I just wanted to play one game, so to think that I’m playing 100 after six years is amazing and I’m super grateful to the club for giving me that opportunity.
“Coming in as a skinny boy with not much knowledge about the game and being in the AFL environment has helped me a lot and I’ve obviously been able to put on a little bit of size and get a little bit bigger and fitter, which has helped me at that AFL standard.”
Bailey has raised his personal requirements previously couple of seasons, kicking objectives at important occasions for Brisbane and dominating video games together with his pace and agility.
However, his begin to Brisbane’s 2023 marketing campaign hasn’t been of the identical excessive stage.
“As I continue to improve, defenders are going to show me a little bit more attention,” Bailey mentioned.
“It’s probably a bit of a slow start for me, but hopefully over the next couple games I can get back to showing some of that form I was in the last couple years.
“We’ve probably had a couple of additions into midfield which have meant I’ve had to play a little bit more forward, which I’m not too fussed about.
“One of my strengths is being able to play multiple positions, so it’s just adapting to that and hopefully I can get going in the next couple of rounds.”
High on confidence after thrashing North Melbourne by 75 factors final Saturday, the Lions are chasing a hat-trick of wins this weekend.
“We really got our ball movement going (against the Kangaroos), which is something we probably didn’t have in the first couple of rounds. That really helped the forwards get out the back and keep a few goals,” Bailey mentioned.
Former Hawthorn star Jack Gunston is ready to be out there for choice this Saturday after not collaborating within the AFL’s Gather Round as a result of he was being “managed” by the Lions.
Defender Darcy Gardiner made his long-awaited return from harm final Saturday through Brisbane’s VFL staff, nevertheless it’s unknown whether or not he will probably be thought-about for top-flight choice this weekend.
Originally revealed as Brisbane Lions star in search of to carry kind in milestone match
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
