Milestone man Josh Dunkley’s progress as a frontrunner below the steering of Richmond legend Trent Cotchin will come in useful as Brisbane confronts an embattled Tigers outfit determined to say a “scalp” on the Gabba on Saturday night time.
The retired Cotchin joined the Lions this season in a mentoring position for Brisbane’s management group, which incorporates vice-captain Dunkley.
“He’s been a sounding board for us and continuously involved and checking in, and making an attempt to assist us develop in that management house,” Dunkley mentioned of the person who captained Richmond to premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
“He’s been an excellent acquisition for us, and I sit up for persevering with to work with him.”
Dunkley’s poise and path will likely be wanted this weekend by the Lions, whose season, in line with coach Chris Fagan, is on a “razor’s edge” after profitable simply three video games from 9.
“It’s clearly not the place we’d prefer to be with our place for the time being, however on the similar time, I’m an enormous believer in the whole lot occurs for a cause,” Dunkley mentioned.
“We’re clearly being troubled by damage and kind, however on the similar time, we’re studying quite a bit from these experiences, and hopefully that holds us in good stead shifting ahead.”
Dunkley promised the Lions wouldn’t take victory with no consideration in opposition to a Tigers workforce that’s below heavy scrutiny after shedding eight of its 9 matches this season.
“They’ve nonetheless obtained a whole lot of their premiership gamers within the workforce, so for us, it’s going to be attacking the sport like we’ve each week and anticipating their greatest as a result of they’re going to come back up right here making an attempt to take a scalp.
“It’s going to be on us to actually begin properly and embrace the problem that they’re going to carry.”
Dunkley, a premiership winner with the Western Bulldogs in 2016, can also be intent on celebrating what he describes as an “in-between milestone” of 150 AFL appearances with a win.
“It does nonetheless make you mirror on the entire journey I’ve had each right here and on the Western Bulldogs. I’m very grateful for the chance to expire and play 150 video games, and hopefully there’s a number of extra to come back,” the 27-year-old midfielder mentioned.
It will likely be greater than a “few” really if Dunkley achieves his aim of enjoying extra AFL matches than his father, Sydney stalwart Andrew Dunkley, who made 217 top-flight appearances for the Swans from 1992 to 2002.
“I’d be mendacity to say I wasn’t chasing down the outdated man’s 217 video games,” Josh mentioned.
“Hopefully, I get to that at one level.”
