TEACHER'S pet or a third-year jet? Pocket rocket Dayne Zorko may be a little bit of both for the Brisbane Lions this year.

Every time new Lions coach Justin Leppitsch is asked about a standout player at pre-season training, the answer is inevitably "Dayne Zorko''.

Zorko, who celebrates his 25th birthday today, has taken his form on the training track into the series of intra-club practice matches where he has consistently been the pick of the pride.

After making his senior debut in 2012 at 23, Zorko had a mild case of the second-year blues last season as his fortunes mirrored that of the club's.

A flying start in the NAB Cup was followed by a sluggish beginning to the season-proper before a withering finish to the campaign.

"My hips had been playing up a little bit last year and I tried to manage them the best I could but I still didn't return in as good a shape as I wanted to,'' Zorko said.

"I focused on my fitness really heavily this pre-season and I suppose that's given me more energy at training.

"Physically and mentally I feel very good. This is my third AFL pre-season and I feel like I've developed that engine that everyone talks about.

"You trust the work you've done and you feel like you have the running capability to do what you need to do at this level.''

Zorko finished last season with 26 goals, 21 scoring assists, 117 tackles and 15 possessions a game and will again spend this year in the forward line, with Brisbane placing a greater emphasis on creating suffocating forward pressure.

Zorko will spearhead the manic pressure on the ball.

His stocks are on the rise at the Gabba after being elevated to the club's extended leadership group alongside Pearce Hanley, Matthew Leuenberger, Jack Redden and Mitch Golby and under skipper Jed Adcock, vice-captain Tom Rockliff and deputy vice-captains Daniel Rich, Joel Patfull and Daniel Merrett.

Zorko has never taken his top-level lifeline for granted after the four-time Broadbeach best-and-fairest winner was overlooked by AFL clubs for years before being drafted by the Suns and traded to the Lions in 2011.

He still has the infectious enthusiasm of a rookie and approaches each training session with the intensity he would take into a match.

When the alternative to a blossoming AFL career is laying bricks on the Gold Coast, anyone would hop, skip and jump into the Gabba every day too.

Perhaps that is why Leppitsch is such a fan.

"I have no idea why Leppa mentions me like that. I might just be his favourite," Zorko said.

Originally published as Leppa loves his great Dayne