Brisbane coach Michael Voss is hopeful his No.1 national draftee midfielder, Jared Polec, will make his AFL debut in 2011 and help fill the void left by the defections of key personnel.

Voss said Polec, who the Lions took with the fifth overall selection, has the potential to follow in the footsteps of veteran triple Lions premiership midfielder Luke Power who can also pinch hit as a small forward.

"He's a ball carrier, he likes to run with the footy and kick goals," Voss told AAP.

"You look at all those things and that's what has tipped us over the edge."

The Lions were struck some sizeable blows at the end of the 2010 season when club champion Michael Rischitelli and utility Jared Brennan defected to the Gold Coast Suns and Justin Sherman asked to be traded and ended up a Western Bulldogs.

Besides taking Polec (from Woodville-West Torrens), the Lions also gained forward Patrick Karnezis (Oakleigh Chargers), defender Ryan Lester (Oakleigh Chargers), forward Joshua Green (Clarence) and midfielder Claye Beams (elevated off rookie list).

Voss said the majority of his recruits were midfield types who in time would cover for the departure of Rischitelli, Brennan and Sherman and the impending retirements of Simon Black and Power within the next two seasons.

"We've laid the solid foundations to a solid midfield group," Voss said.

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