Lions can contend without Daniher: co-skipper Neale

After years of watching Joe Daniher come under fire, Lachie Neale can't help but crack a wry smile when asked how the Brisbane Lions will handle their premiership defence without him.

Daniher, who led the attack alongside Eric Hipwood, retired after last season's grand final triumph.

It means Brisbane will head into 2025 needing to replace a spearhead who averaged 51 goals across four years.

"We were told that we couldn't win it with Joe and Eric, and now we can't win it without Joe," Neale told AAP.

"We've got a lot of guys that are not going to replace Joe, but guys that fill this different sort of role.

"Who knows what will happen. We feel like we won't be able to replace everything that he (Daniher) does, but the way we play, someone will be able to slot into that forward line and still contribute."

Neale pointed to the dynamic Cam Rayner, youngster Ty Gallop, the returning Lincoln McCarthy and big men Sam Day and Darcy Fort as potential options in attack.

The reigning premiers are ready to experience the "privileged position" of being the hunted in 2025, with Neale adamant the Lions have the list profile and hunger to contend for a long time.

"We've had a little taste of it. After making the grand final in 2023 and losing it, we still felt like we were a little bit of the hunted coming into '24 and we probably played a little bit like that," Neale said.

"We didn't play freely to start the year, and weren't our usual self.

"So we learned a fair bit from that - to just release the shackles and play with a bit of freedom, which we were able to do in the second half of the year and make a run and ultimately win the premiership.

"So looking forward to the challenge of 17 other teams coming for us."

Neale, 31, famously played last year's finals with a busted left foot, tearing the planta fascia in the grand final.

But he will be ready to face Geelong in opening round on March 6.

"I actually had a follow-up scan the other day and that came back really positive. I'll be ready to go," Neale said.

"It's been a bit of a challenge, and especially early in the off-season, I was in the moon boot for a while, but the club's done a great job in managing me through that and managing my loads through pre-season now.

"It's got to a point now where I can play games, and I'll be right to go in in 10 days time, which is not far away."

The duel Brownlow Medallist is confident he can reach his best again.

But with Norm Smith Medallist Will Ashcroft, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley firing, and father-son Levi Ashcroft entering the fray, the pressure is off.

"We share the load pretty well in that midfield now," Neale said.

"So I don't think I'll be winning any more Brownlows or anything like that.

"But I feel like I can contribute in a really strong way to what's a really dynamic midfield."