"There's a few more to come, so stay tuned" - Brisbane Lions breakout star teases more goal celebrations following standout display against Richmond
Rising Star nominee Kai Lohmann says he loves bringing the energy on and off the field and has plenty more goal celebrations up his sleeve.
Brisbane’s third year forward Kai Lohmann kicked five goals in the Lions’ 119-point win (163-44) against Richmond on Saturday night, earning himself a league Rising Star nomination. His energetic celebration of this feat encapsulates all that he has achieved in the 2024 season so far as it looks to be his breakthrough season.
Lohmann faced the Gabba crowd, with his arms wide open and nodding vigorously, after neatly curving through a first-quarter set shot, before executing a running chest bump with Darcy Wilmot after a fifth in the last quarter.
An elated Lohmann spoke on his performance on Tuesday morning (via lions.com.au):
“There's nothing cooler than people celebrating when they kick a nice goal. That's the young me coming out, and I don't think that'll ever change. I love celebrating, especially with Motty (Wilmot), he's my favourite one. There's a few more to come, so stay tuned."
Brisbane Rising Star nominee Lohmann grateful and focused on preparations for Round 11
Taken alongside pick 20 in the 2021 draft, Lohmann debuted in the 2022 season where he played two games and an additional six games in 2023.
The forward had a hard time cracking into Brisbane's forward line through his first two seasons at the club. However, Lohmann stayed put despite his garnering the interest of other clubs.
Beginning the 2024 season as a substitute in three games consecutively, his intensity on defense looks to have improved drastically. Coupled with his infectious energy, the No. 1 guernsey is impossible to miss.
Following his impeccable Rising star nominating form in the match against Richmond on Saturday, Lohmann said about his impressionable celebratory moves:
"I'm always here to bring the energy and create a bit of fun and laughter around the group. It's something I pride myself on. There's a lot of personalities here, Charlie (Cameron), 'McMorris' (Logan Morris) and 'Motty'.It's a fun group to be around and somewhere you can come in straight away and be yourself. I love bringing the energy … and feel like it's helped."
While super proud of himself for winning the Round 10 nomination, Lohmann put a lot of focus on the need to remain "level headed" ahead of the game against Hawthorn on Sunday (May 26) at Marvel Stadium. He said:
"Sitting back and learning from players like Charlie (Cameron) and Lincoln (McCarthy) and players in front of you has made me a better player than just being thrown in the deep end. Offense was my weapon going into the draft and I've really worked on the defensive side of my game over the last year or so.
"Pressure is something I go into the game trying to focus on. I feel like it gets me more involved from an offensive side as well. I'm glad I waited my turn and now I can try and play some good footy."