Entire Lions list traded in post GF shock

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http://www.thebladder.com.au/content/news/displayContent.asp?CID=2822&EID=273

Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews yesterday sprang the biggest surprise of the draft period when he put the entire Lions list up for trades, only days after the team competed for its fourth flag in as many years.

“I think that we’ve got the best out of this current group of players,” he told The Bladder. “I’m pretty realistic. You couldn’t really expect to make five grand finals in a row with the same group of players so it’s time for complete generational change.”

Outgoing Lions captain Michael Voss admitted he was surprised to be told his career would be continuing with the Bulldogs. “I thought I’d had a pretty good year, and the team went okay, but Leigh’s a football genius so I guess he knows what he’s doing.”

New Tigers coach Terry Wallace said he’d “try to find room in the midfield” for Simon Black and Nigel Lappin, while Jason Akermanis is expected to fit right in at Collingwood.

Key forward Jonathan Brown was less happy to have been traded to St Kilda, where he may struggle to get a game in a forward line already boasting Gehrig and Riewoldt. Brown’s management said they were hoping to organise an on-trade to the Cats so Brown can be closer to his teenage home of Warrnambool.

The remaining members of the 38-man 2004 Lions list are likely to end up in the draft, with most shocked to discover that players outside of Queensland do not receive a $200,000 annual bonus just for staying in their respective states.