“But I feel like as I’ve gotten older and matured a bit, I’ve released the shackles, and now I feel like I’m playing my best football.

“I belong at this level.

“I think probably just playing in the forward line has allowed me to play my instinctive brand of footy. I feel like when I’m out there now, I can just play football and not think too much … it’s just playing that natural brand of football I got drafted for.”

The retirement of tall forward Joe Daniher left a void for the Lions to fill from the side that conquered the Sydney Swans in 2024’s grand final.

And Ah Chee declared his former teammate Sam Day could make the job his own.

Having played alongside Day at the Suns, Ah Chee believed he would not need to change his game to enable the incumbent forward line to transition to life without Daniher seamlessly.

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“He’s a big target down forward, you know he’s going to bring the ball to ground if he doesn’t mark it, and I think that’s what we need from our big boys.

“He’s super competitive as well,” Ah Chee said.

“We don’t really change too much in the forward line. I think for him, it’s just making sure he’s a big presence down there, getting the ball to ground when we need it, but also taking the Duke and finishing his work for us.

“He doesn’t have to change too much in his game.”