What Brisbane Lions proposals will look like in 2025

The bargain price Brisbane paid for draftee pair Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall will look even better next year when major AFL changes to father-son and Academy bidding come into effect.

Incumbent Brisbane premiers had father-and-son prospect Ashcroft (No. 5 pick) and Marshall Academy shooter (No. 25) in the first round.

But changes to the Project Value Index (DVI) for 2025 and beyond, announced earlier this year, are set to make it much more difficult to compare bets on father-son and Academy prospects in the future.

Following the Continental Tires AFL trade period and pick swap window, the Lions received picks 27, 34, 42, 43, 49 and 58 as they prepare to match bids for Ashcroft and Marshall.

Further pick changes on opening night of the draft saw them settle on 10 picks – 40, 42, 43, 46, 48, 49, 53, 54, 56 and 73.

Those picks gave the Lions enough points to match the bids on Ashcroft and Marshall, and when the former was allowed to take the fifth pick in the draft, the Lions were never in danger of missing out or even facing a point deficit.

After Ashcroft was overlooked by Richmond, North Melbourne, Carlton and Adelaide, Brisbane matched Melbourne’s bid at pick 5 using picks 40, 42, 43 and 46.

The Lions needed to match the No. 5 pick with 1,502.4 points (the No. 5 pick is worth 1,878 points minus the 20 percent first-round discount).

Now that their four picks in the 40s had been lost, Brisbane’s remaining picks came into play and increased their points value, meaning they only needed picks 43 and 44 (originally picks 48 and 49) to match Sydney’s bet on Marshall, which came at pick 25.

But changes to the project cost index in 2025 should make such moves much more difficult.

According to AFL.com.au Earlier this year, about 10,000 points were deducted from the new DVI system, including the loss of points for any pick after number 54. Under the system in place this year, points were awarded for picks up to 73rd place.

So while Brisbane scored a total of 1533 points using picks 40 (429 points), 42 (395), 43 (378) and 46 (331), which equates to a bet on Ashcroft at pick five this year, those four picks in 2025 will cost only 758 points.

In Marshall’s favor, the Lions scored 740 points – 135 more than they needed to qualify – using picks 43 (378) and 44 (362). Next year, those two picks will be worth just 351 points.

The rule change means clubs won’t be able to simply stockpile reserves for later selections to match bids on father, son and Academy prospects, as the Lions were able to do this year.

As part of the changes, the 20 percent discount will also be reduced to 10 percent.

If the new DVI were in play in 2025, the Lions would need 1,616 points to match the bet on Ashcroft at No. 5 (1,795 points minus a 10 percent discount). To use four picks to match that bid, the Lions would have to give up picks 29, 30, 34 and 35, which are far more valuable picks than the 40, 42, 43 and 46 they gave up this year.

As for Marshall, the Lions would need 531 points next year to match the bet at pick 25 (590 points minus a 10 percent discount). The two peaks of this value next year will be peaks 38 and 39, compared to peaks 43 and 44 this year.

Daniel Annable (Brisbane Academy), Max King (Sydney Academy) and Zeke Uland (Gold Coast Academy) are in next year’s draft class and AFL.com.auThe magazine’s Cal Toomey named the trio one of the best to watch in 2025.

While the Swans’ draft lineup for next year remains unchanged, the Lions and Suns have already added to their roster, with Brisbane holding a first-round pick, three third-round picks and two fourth-round picks for 2025, while Gold has Costa has three choices. a first-round pick, a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks.

How Brisbane implemented the Ashcroft proposal in 2024

Bet: Pick #5, worth 1,878 points, 1,502 points after 20 percent discount.
Used: picks 40, 42, 43 and 46.

How the club can implement a similar application in 2025

Bet: Pick #5, worth 1,795 points, 1,616 points after 10 percent discount.
Required: selection 29, 30, 34 and 35.

How Brisbane stacked up against Ashcroft and Marshall proposals in 2024

Stakes: Picks No. 5 and 25, worth 2,634 points, 2,107 points after 20 percent discount.
Picks used: 40, 42, 43, 43, 44 and 46.

How the club will be able to implement similar proposals in 2025

Stakes: Picks No. 5 and 25, worth 2,385 points, 2,147 points after 10 percent discount.
You will need: selection 29, 30, 34, 35, 38 and 39.