BRISBANE captain Bre Koenen has circled the round four clash against Melbourne for "redemption" after losing narrowly to the same opponent in last season's preliminary final.

The 2021 premier Lions will start the AFLW season as one of the favourites again, and Koenen hopes her team has learned lessons from April's heartbreaking four-point loss to the Demons.

"The lead-up to that week was pretty frantic," Koenen said on Thursday.

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"Playing at the MCG for the first time, a historic moment, the build-up was insane, and I think a lot of our girls, being a younger group, may have been overwhelmed by the whole experience.

"Now we've lived through that and reviewed it and know where we fell short in that game.

"If we're in the same situation hopefully we'll do better next time.

"I think we play them in round four. Hopefully we can get some redemption then."

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Unlike previous seasons, the Lions escaped the competition's expansion relatively unscathed, keeping the core of the team that took it to the top of the competition.

All-Australian winger Orla O'Dwyer has recovered well from off-season shoulder surgery but is still a question mark to play in the season-opener against Fremantle at the Gabba on Sunday.

Coach Craig Starcevich said he was confident his team could handle added expectation in the 18-team competition.

"Once you all get out there and start playing and get two or three rounds in … it's very much a brand new year and your reputation from the year before counts for not much really," he said.

Brisbane had wins over Gold Coast in a scratch match and then St Kilda during its pre-season.

The Lions added local product Ava Seton to their list earlier in the week to cover for inactive Bella Smith after she ruptured her ACL.