There are now nine official Brisbane leaders but it was another holding court when Tim Paine dropped into the Gabba on Thursday.

The Australian Test cricket captain, in Brisbane ahead of Friday’s Sheffield Shield game for Tasmania, spent more than an hour talking to Lions players on the same day Dayne Zorko was reinstated as the AFL club’s skipper.

Paine’s incredible rise from the cusp of retirement to Australian cricket’s highest office struck a chord with the improved side, and particularly new leadership group member Jarryd Lyons.

Lyons, unable to find a permanent home in Gold Coast’s top team, has taken just one season to be voted into the Lions’ brains trust alongside midfielder Hugh McCluggage.

“My first six years was spent in and out (of teams) … and there was an article last year that I was one of the top 10 most-dropped players on a list,” Lyons, who began his AFL career with Adelaide, recalled.

“It doesn’t come easy a lot of the time and I’m proud of that.

“He (Paine) was very much similar in the early days; injuries forced him away from the game, he almost gave it away which is hard to believe considering where he is now.

“He was saying early on, when he was selfish … he was probably his worst player and when he developed and tried to make others better he made himself better and that was something as footballers we could take out of it.”

Zorko was a unanimous vote to remain at the helm after guiding Brisbane to their first finals campaign in a decade, with the new pair joining vice-captain Harris Andrews, Darcy Gardiner, Stefan Martin, Lachie Neale, Ryan Lester and Jarrod Berry in a swollen leadership group.

Allen Christensen opted to step down from his leadership role and concentrate on his rehabilitation after having minor back surgery late last year while the retired Luke Hodge was an informal member last year.

McCluggage, now in his fourth season, said the nine-man group helped erode any fears young players may have to speak up.

“Everyone (in the leadership group) brings their own little thing that they’re good at” he said.

“And it shows that everyone has a say … even as a young fella, quite nervous, you don’t want to stir the pot too much.

“But (you are encouraged to have an opinion) even if it’s wrong, there’s no backlash … there’s no embarrassment.”