Dayne Zorko's case to play beyond his milestone AFL grand final has received dual Brownlow Medal endorsement, Lachie Neale adamant he remains one of the best field kicks in the league.
The stars have aligned for the former Brisbane Lions captain, who will play his 250th game on Saturday against Collingwood at the MCG.
Zorko, who has endured the highs and lows at the Gabba since his 2012 debut, will be 35 in February and is off-contract beyond this season.
He wants to keep playing though, sensing he has a role as an on-field leader of a team destined to contend for more premierships.
Neale, fresh off winning a second best and fairest medal on Monday night, described him as "one of the heart and soul players of the club".
But as Zorko, who says he's begun talks for a contract extension, eyes a 13th season it's what Neale's seen on the field that will matter most.
"He's been very important in both finals, played crucial rules," Neale said on Tuesday.
"He's an unbelievable player, an underrated kicker of the footy, I'm biased but - along with Hugh (McCluggage) and Kiddy (Keidean Coleman) - for a long time among the best ball-users in the comp.
"His field kicking is something else; he sets us up really well and the heart and energy really drives us.
"He's seen it all; I love Zorks and the way he goes about it.
"Hopefully we can deliver a premiership medallion for him."
Zorko relinquished the captaincy he'd held since midway through the 2018 season to Neale and Harris Andrews this year.
"He was the right man at the right time and so gracious this year to step aside," coach Chris Fagan said.
"I'm so pleased for him we're going to get into a grand final in his 250th. How about that, that's pretty good isn't it?
"It's fitting for him because he's such a huge part about what we've been on about."
More than 2000 fans travelled to the Lions' Springfield training base 40km outside of the Brisbane CBD for Tuesday's light session.
Key defender Jack Payne (ankle) showed more range, taking part in some contested drills, as he pressed his case for a recall after missing the preliminary final.
Lincoln McCarthy, whose calf was in a compression bandage on Monday, only trained briefly but the club said the pressure forward was in no danger of missing the decider.
The team will have their main session at the Gabba on Thursday before travelling to Melbourne that afternoon.
Brisbane have beaten minor premiers Collingwood in their last six games, including twice this season.
But on both occasions the Magpies were missing key personnel.
"It's going to be a fierce contest," Neale said.
"We don't take confidence from that (head-to-head record), but we do from where our game sits at the moment and the footy we've been playing against all opposition."
