Newly re-signed Brisbane star Hugh McCluggage insists the Lions don't need to make any major changes to turn around their faltering season.
In a major boost for the Lions during a difficult 2024, influential midfielder McCluggage has rejected overtures from several rivals to re-sign for seven years, keeping him at the club until 2031.
After playing finals for the past five seasons, and in September falling only four points short of winning their first premiership since 2003, Brisbane are 13th with a 4-1-6 record heading into Friday night's clash against the Western Bulldogs.
McCluggage said the Lions had reset during their bye, which "came at a good time for us".
"We don't need any drastic changes, don't need to reinvent the wheel," he told reporters in Brisbane after the club confirmed his contract extension on Tuesday.
"We're not quite connecting and executing when going inside-50 and kicking for goal as well.
"We've looked at everything, we haven't shied away from the things we need to work on - but we're not going to change things dramatically, either.
"If you try and change things over and over again then it's not going to work.
"You've got to stay true to what you do and do well."
McCluggage declared he had never seriously considered offers to leave Brisbane, who drafted him with pick three in the 2016 draft.
"I still feel as though we have unfinished business," the 26-year-old said.
"I love how far we have come since Fages (coach Chris Fagan) got here, and the attitude that we have towards consistently getting better as players and people.
"We have had so many great experiences to learn from and use to get to where we want to be.
"The challenge now is to remain a good club and football team long into the future, like the best clubs in the competition are able to do."
The Warrnambool, Victoria, product has played 166 AFL games for Brisbane since being recruited at the same time Fagan took over as coach.
"I am excited to see what we can do with the current list we have," he said.
"Individually, I just want to be the best teammate I can ... as a team we need to remain consistent and continue to provide a hard-working but fun environment for everyone who comes through our club to thrive.
"If we do that, I have no doubt that on-field success will follow."
Brisbane's football manager Danny Daly said re-signing McCluggage, who was due to reach free agency status at the end of the season, was a coup.
"We couldn't be happier ... Hugh is an outstanding player and more importantly he is an exceptional person who epitomises everything we stand for as a football club," Daly said.
"He is a fantastic leader who has been our vice-captain for several seasons and he has all the traits to one day be the captain."
