Great Dayne: How Lion's 'unbelievable' influence shaped a powerhouse

Dayne Zorko's leadership was pivotal in transforming Brisbane from a from cellar dweller into a consistent premiership contender

Dayne Zorko with coach Chris Fagan (left) and addressing his teammates in 2018 (right). Pictures: AFL Photos

WITH his dynamic play, long list of individual accolades and role in Brisbane's 2024 premiership, the one thing easily overlooked in Dayne Zorko's glittering career is his leadership.

Put simply, that trait is a major reason behind the Lions' rise from cellar dwellers to perennial premiership contenders.

His fiery demeanour on the field can polarise opposition players and supporters, but his "energy and enthusiasm" when taking over the captaincy in 2018 was contagious.

With coach Chris Fagan, then football manager David Noble and former CEO Greg Swann rightly gaining big slices of credit for their roles in Brisbane's revival, Zorko's influence can be forgotten.

It shouldn't.

Midway through Fagan's second season as coach, the Lions were floundering on the bottom of the table.

Captain Dayne Beams had lost his father, Philip, to cancer, early in the year, and the tough midfielder was struggling to juggle leading a team while dealing with his grief. Something had to give.

So, with Beams stepping back from the captaincy, but continuing to play, Fagan had to find another skipper.

He opted for Zorko.

Dayne Zorko leads his team out ahead of the R20 clash between Brisbane and Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium on August 1, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

A star on the field – he had already won three of his five best and fairests and was fresh off a first All-Australian blazer – Zorko would now lead the young Lions.

His first game in charge was against Sydney, in round 10 of 2018.

Brisbane had just won its first game of the season against Hawthorn and sported a 1-8 record. This came on the back of a 5-17 mark the previous year and was a pivotal point in Fagan's coaching tenure.

The Lions had not played finals since 2010 and at that stage, it didn't look like happening any time soon.

"The club turned at that point in time," Fagan told AFL.com.au.

"Unfortunately, Dayne Beams was struggling at that time and had lost his dad. He wasn't in a good space to be captain.

"To be honest, there weren't too many guys at the club that were capable of being captain.

"The thing I love about 'Zorks' is his energy and enthusiasm to be the best he could be personally and for the club.

"I felt in my heart of hearts that I needed a guy like him to be captain. We had all these talented players … and I needed a bloke that was good at keeping them up and about.

"That's Zorks, he's full of energy and positivity, and that's what we needed.

"His passion to do the best he could do, be the best player and best leader was enormous."

Chris Fagan (left) and Dayne Zorko celebrate a win during round 11, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Brisbane lost its first four games with Zorko in charge. They were 1-12 and staring down the barrel of a second consecutive wooden spoon under Fagan.

The coach had convinced four-time premiership Hawk Luke Hodge to reconsider his retirement and head north ahead of that season.

His leadership was valuable for not only the Lions' crop of young players, which included No.1 draft pick Cam Rayner, Zac Bailey, Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry, but also for Zorko.

There were similarities in the way the pair played, perhaps not in style, but the tenacity, the fire, the edge.

Dayne Zorko poses for a photograph during Brisbane's team photo day at Brighton Homes Arena. Picture: AFL Photos

"I didn't have to change what I was doing," Zorko said ahead of playing his 300th game against Hawthorn at the Gabba on Sunday night.

"I was very much an action-based leader.

"I bought the energy naturally, so you don't have to force that as a captain … it was making sure we channelled that in the right direction and lead from the front, and that's what I tried to do.

"I had a great mentor in Luke Hodge … he gave me great pieces of advice I still hold to this day.

"I know it was a difficult period for the club, but I think once we turned that corner, for me the job was really easy; I let the boys flourish, let them do what they needed to do and just kept them within the tracks."

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Perhaps the most crucial three-game stretch in Brisbane's resurgence came between rounds 15 and 17 of that year. A thumping win over Fremantle, a trouncing of Carlton and a second win for the season over the top four-bound Hawks, and there was some light at the end of what had been a long, dark tunnel.

They finished 2018 with five wins, which was good enough for 15th on the ladder.

Lachie Neale, Linc McCarthy, Jarryd Lyons and Marcus Adams would come in the next off-season and Brisbane would leap all the way to second spot in 2019 and begin a run of seven consecutive appearances in September.

"We needed a particular type of person,' Fagan said.

"That's what we needed, someone to be enthusiastic, resilient, not too worried about the result, someone that could move on quickly to the next week.

"When 'Zorks' became captain our leadership ranks were very thin and by the time he finished as captain, the leadership stocks were thick. He helped develop those leaders."

Alastair Lynch, Dayne Zorko, Marcus Ashcroft with Dayne Zorko ahead of Zorko's 300th game. Picture: AFL Photos/Chris Hyde

That point cannot be overstated. In 2018 Beams, then Zorko, were supported by Ryan Lester, Stefan Martin, Allen Christensen and a young Harris Andrews.

The following year it was Neale, Darcy Gardiner and Berry who were added, but it was very much a work in progress.

In 2020, McCluggage joined the mix.

Football manager Danny Daly said Zorko's influence over the young players was profound.

"He spent so much time with them in leadership meetings," Daly said.

"Zorks really encouraged them to talk up about the previous game and what went well and what didn't, so they could give that leadership feedback to 'Fages' (Fagan) and myself.

"There’s no doubt in my mind the way 'Hughy' (McCluggage) and 'Bez' (Berry) lead now is due to those early days with Zorks."

Zorko would captain until the end of 2022, when after a difficult season that included problems with his Achilles and plantaris, he was "desperate for the finish line".

It would lead to the next phase in his leadership – supporting new co-captains Neale and Andrews.

Zorko had more time to get his body right, and that's what he did. Always one of the best trainers at the Lions over his 14 seasons, the man that was overlooked in four national drafts was still running personal bests in pre-season time trials into his 30s.

Dayne Zorko marks during the match between Brisbane and Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba in round 14, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

He captained Brisbane in 99 matches, winning 63, but would now slip into a new role beneath the two leaders.

"I think it's helped his demeanour as a player, he's not as emotive," Fagan said.

"I was glad he was like that when he captained though. We needed someone with passion, not a vanilla leader. We needed that person."

It's why Fagan made a promise to the 36-year-old long before last year's premiership – a promise that has now become an iconic image among Lions supporters.

(L-R) Chris Fagan, Lachie Neale, Dayne Zorko and Harris Andrews celebrate on the dais with the premiership cup after Brisbane won the 2024 Grand Final against Sydney at the MCG. Picture: AFL Photos

"That's why I got him up on the stage in the Grand Final (alongside Neale and Andrews to lift the premiership cup) last year. I told him that's what we'd do if we ever won.

"He did a lot of the heavy lifting. He deserved it.

"He was huge in our turnaround from being a club near the bottom to being a club that regularly plays finals.

"I think it's understated how important he was between the middle of 2018 and the end of 2022. What he did for us was unbelievable."

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