Lucas is an exciting young talent, but the club was panned in the media and fan websites lit up with discontent at the direction it took at the selection table.
Michael Jamison, for one, was a little bemused by the kerfuffle.
"I think people sometimes get stuck on an idea and they just run with it," Jamison says.
"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't heard anything any of that stuff. You do hear it, but I think the recruiters are the ones who are the most qualified to make those decisions.
"When you look at it there's Mark Austin, Jarrad Waite, Bret Thornton, Paul Bower and me and we can all match up on different sized players. I think that makes us pretty flexible and I really think we've got plenty of taller options.
"For me I think it shows the faith that the club and the recruiting staff have in the talls that we have at the moment."
All the players he mentions are 192 cm or taller, so there is some merit to Jamison's argument.
"We picked up Lachie Henderson who can play forward and back and people do seem to have forgotten that a bit," he adds, driving home his point.
Both Jamison and Waite missed significant portions of the season through injury, so a lot of that consternation probably stems from a desire to have more depth available in times of need.
But again Jamison maintains the Blues already have the solution to that problem within their current playing ranks.
"I think Aussie will play a much bigger part this year which could even allow Waitey to play a bit more up forward at times," he says.
"Everyone has noted that he's come back from the break looking like a man instead of a young lad. He's really put on a lot of size and he's set for a big year I reckon."
It remains to be seen if Jamison's confidence is well-founded, but he's working hard to ensure the Blues aren't caught short without him again.
His 2009 campaign was brought to an end by hip and shoulder injuries after round 15, but the full-back is delighted with his progress from the operations he underwent while his teammates were still fighting for a finals berth.
"I'm starting to ramp it up before Christmas with the aim of getting in with the main group and doing everything just after the break," he says.
"The shoulder is really good at the moment. If it was just that I'd already be out there, but the hips are a bit slower. It's a bit frustrating, but when you have it done before the start of the pre-season there's really no need to rush it.
"I feel better than I did this time last year, which is surprising to be honest because I have been slowed up by that surgery. I think just having another year under my belt and having a more mature body has helped me build that fitness base up."
After a slow start Jamison is back lifting weights at pre-surgery levels, is taking part in most running sessions and feels he is well-placed to continue his development as an on-field leader.
"I tried to work hard on that last year and obviously I was disappointed with the amount of games I was able to play, but I really tried to help out T-Bird in that area," he says.
"Playing on the last line of defence you do see everything unfolding so I can let blokes know what's going on. It comes pretty naturally to me.
"It is a young group and they do need a bit of direction from time to time. It's something I'll continue to work on with the coaches."
