No complacency at Subiaco as Lions hunt another hat-trickTuesday, March 15, 2016 - 12:44 AM - by Chris Pike

SUBIACO already has one premiership hat-trick this century and there are no signs of complacency at the Lions as they chase another in 2016.

The Lions claimed the club's first ever premiership hat-trick with triumphs in 2006, 07 and 08 and now remarkably have a chance to do so again less than a decade following an upset win over East Perth in the 2014 grand final and dominating the competition in 2015 on the way to a 66-point win over West Perth in the decider.

While Subiaco has lost three of their grand final stars from last year Matt Boland (returned to Melbourne), Shane Yarran (drafted by Fremantle) and Sam Menegola (drafted by Geelong), there is little sign of any drop off from the Lions coming into 2016.

Subiaco welcomes back premiership players Greg Broughton (2006, 07 and 08) and Adam Cockie (2008) with Ben Sokol (South Fremantle), Shaquille McKenzie (East Perth) and Hayden Yarran (West Perth) players from other clubs who look capable of making an impact particularly in the forward-line.

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Subiaco captain Kyal Horsley is now a two-time premiership skipper and has played in three flags in total.

He sees no sign of complacency creeping in at Subiaco or of a premiership hangover, and there's no way that could happen under the iron-fist coaching of Jarrad Schofield.

"Pre-season is always tough and Jarrad prides himself on how hard he works us, but the boys have handled it really well. Every pre-season you go in worried how hard it will be, but you grind through and before you know it, it's Round 1," Horsley said on Channel 7's Subiaco season preview.

"We pride ourselves on setting the standard every week and playing to that standard. We like to focus on controlling what we can control, and regardless of if we are hunted or not we'll focus on playing the same way.

"You don't drag yourselves around the park during pre-season in that heat if you aren’t there to win the whole thing again. That's obviously the end goal but there's obviously a lot of little cogs along the way that get you there."

Schofield also can't speak more highly of the group he has at his disposal as he now tries to become Subiaco's first ever coach to lead the team to three straight premierships.

He was also part of the hat-trick as a player before retiring following the 2008 triumph and he is happy with the group he has again been able to put together.

Despite the loss of Boland, Menegola and Yarran as well as the retirement of six-time premiership defender Darren Rumble, the return of Broughton and Cockie add instant quality and experience.

He is also looking for others to emerge and one to already impress through the pre-season is South Fremantle signing Sokol.