Protege Lohmann happy to bide time at Brisbane Lions

Northen exposure: Ballarat native Kai Lohmann (centre) has signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the Brisbane Lions. Photo: DARREN ENGLAND/ AAP IMAGE

KAI Lohmann has resisted the temptation to move south for greater opportunities, happy to bide his time in Brisbane behind a small forward he thinks will go down as one of the AFL’s greatest.

The 20-year-old from Ballarat, taken with pick 20 in the 2021 draft, inked a two-year extension with the Brisbane Lions last week.

Defender, Darcy Wilmot, 19, also added two years to his deal, keeping him at the Lions until 2027.

Wilmot has established himself in Brisbane’s defence but Lohmann has been unable to crack a permanent spot, leaving him open to offers in his native Victoria.

He played six AFL games this season, with any hopes of a finals recall ended when he broke his collarbone flying for a mark in the VFL.

A trip home after surgery helped him reach a decision on his future, with Lohmann saying his family were fully supportive when he said he was staying in Queensland.

“The pull’s pretty big from back home, but the support at the club has been amazing,” he said.

“Shattering [to get injured] but the best-case scenario, I could have landed on my neck and never played footy again.

“I had AFL opportunities this season and didn’t achieve what I wanted to but I’ll build on that.”

Lohmann accepts that, given Brisbane’s stacked front half, those opportunities could take a while to return.

“The best forward line in the AFL… I get to learn off Charlie Cameron and he’s going to go down as one of the best small forwards ever,” he said.

“I get to watch him every day… I’m going to be a better player for that. I will get my opportunity… and I’m just going to have to take that when it comes.”

Wilmot burst onto the scene with a finals debut last season and has stuck to his guns in 2023 with some daring ball use out of the Lions’ defence offering the side something new.

“The mindset doesn’t change, just keep doing what you’re doing and… they trust you to get your job done,” he said.

“You’re going to make mistakes in footy, it’s what you do after it. Fix it up and go again.”

-MURRAY WENZEL/ AAP