| LUKEHODGE | Ex-Hawthorn captain, at the Lions from 2018 (4,5) |
| LEOS | Those lions from the Zodiac |
| NOVELCOWARD | The lion from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," e.g.? |
| NEMEAN | Like the lion from one of Hercules's labors |
| PRIDE | Self-esteem felt at the Lions Club meeting? (5) |
| STEAL | Nick eats out at "The Lion's Head" (5) |
| MADDINSON | Ex-NSW opener, at the Melbourne Stars from 2018, Nic ... (9) |
| NATEMYLES | Ex-Titans forward and co-captain, at Manly from 2016 (4,5) |
| ANDROCLES | In Roman legend, a slave whose life was spared in the arena by a lion from whose paw he had extracted a thorn (9) |
| GUTHERSON | Ex-Eels fullback and captain, at St. George in 2025, Clint ... (9) |
| KARENMORAS | Which Australian freestyle swimmer won a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic Games, three gold medals at the 1970 Commonwealth Games and was the swimming team captain at the Munich Olympic Games? (5,5) |
| STRUDWICK | Wally Lewis' first captain at Valleys and 1979 BRL winning captain-coach, Ross ... (9) |
| PICKERING | Tommy _, England captain at Masters Feeder Champs 2022 (9) |
| ROBHUGHES | England Carp captain, AT columnist (3,6) |
| RYANGIGGS | Retired Manchester United footballer who coached the Wales team from 2018 to 2020 (4,5) |
| STUARTDEW | Suns coach from 2018 (6,3) |
| OLLIEPOPE | England batsman and occasional wicketkeeper from 2018 (5,4) |
| IMRANKHAN | Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022 (5,4) |
| JEDINAK | Socceroos captain at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups (7) |
| DHONI | The winning captain at the 2007 T20 Cricket World Cup |
