Brisbane is confident that tall forward Eric Hipwood will be available for this weekend's enticing matchup with GWS, while coach Chris Fagan has played down concerns aboutย another star attacker.
Hipwood was a late withdrawal from Sunday's win over the Saints due to a groin issue that arose after last week's QClash victory, with the Lions seeing out the week before deciding to pull their key forward from their Round 21 planning.
Replaced by Bruce Reville in the side, Hipwood is expected to face a fourth-placed GWS outfit when the Lions return to the Gabba this weekend.
"He should be right next week," Fagan said of Hipwood after his team's 85-point win at Marvel Stadium.
"He probably could have played today. But it was more like if he plays he could potentially get a bit sorer.
"We just gave him a rest and made sure he was right for next week."
Fellow forward Charlie Cameron was subbed out of the game by the final break, with the star Lion having his leg iced after a suspected hamstring concern.
Fagan played down any issue for his four-time leading goalkicker, noting the tactical change was more a tactical one to rest Cameron and bring Reville into the match, which was all but over at the time of the change.
"He's had a big year, gets a lot of attention. He just came off because we had Bruce sitting there," the Lions coach said.
"[Reville] needed a run and he had a bit of an impact when he came on. Charlie had done his work, I thought his pressure was great today. He finished off a few goals as well.
"That (change) was purely just to give a 30-year-old a bit of a rest."
The corresponding clash between Brisbane and GWS from earlier this season saw the Giants hand Fagan's side a nine-goal defeat in Canberra, with the defeat being the Lions' fifth loss in seven matches during that period of the year.
The Queensland club will take a nine-game winning run into Round 22, with a win potentially seeing them take top spot amid Sydney's form slump.
The Lions could have key defender Jack Payne back from a foot injury before the end of the home and away season, while fellow backman Darragh Joyce remains sidelined indefinitely with a facial injury.
