Reading about Essendon's supplements saga was never high on Brisbane Lions ruckman Matthew Leuenberger's "must do" list - until now.
Leuenberger admitted he had not dwelled on the prospect of an Essendon points penalty opening the AFL finals door for the 10th-placed Lions.
"I gotta be honest. I haven't kept up with it all," he said.
"I took a bit of interest in it at first, but every time I read it it's chopping and changing so I've given up on it."
It would be fair to say it has now grabbed Leuenberger's attention.
In the fallout over the Essendon points penalty, the Lions can play finals for the first time since 2009 - and only their third top eight campaign in nine years - if they topple Geelong this weekend and Carlton loses to Port Adelaide.
"If you had have asked me about two months ago I would have said `you're dreaming'," Leuenberger said of their finals chances.
"We were in pretty poor form. We were playing three good quarters and having a blow out for one that was taking us out of the game.
"Now we're getting more consistent and coming away and winning a lot more."
Their form makes the Lions board's decision to dump coach and Brisbane favourite son Michael Voss all the more puzzling.
Now a boardroom stoush looms after an ex-coach Leigh Matthews-led rival ticket challenged Lions chairman Angus Johnson ahead of December's annual general meeting.
Yet somehow Brisbane are still winning - their gutsy seven-point last-round victory over a fast-finishing Western Bulldogs on Sunday night was their sixth in eight games.
"I reckon the playing group has been sensational with handling that (off-field distractions)," Leuenberger said.
Asked about the prospect of qualifying for the finals despite finishing ninth, Leuenberger said: "Wouldn't bother me.
"Someone like me, I've never played finals footy, so I'd take it.
"There's a few in the same boat as me."
The off-field distractions don't look like going away any time soon for the Lions.
A Matthews-led ticket has promised to make a fresh play for Sydney's premiership-winning coach Paul Roos.
Leuenberger did not harbour any hard feelings despite recently re-signing for another two years with Voss holding the reins.
"Initially it was a shock (Voss' dumping) but you move on pretty quick when you're playing," he said.
"When I signed my contract I was aware Vossy was out of contract, so it's neither here nor there.
"He's a large reason why we're doing what we're doing now, he set it all up."
