BRISBANE is optimistic it could have Jack Payne for next Saturday's semi-final against Greater Western Sydney despite the key defender suffering a knee injury in the win over Carlton.

Payne was subbed out of the 28-point triumph after entering a marking contest awkwardly during the second quarter.

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He was playing his first senior game in seven weeks, having overcome a foot injury and proving his fitness in the VFL a week earlier.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said he had a "level of optimism" about Payne's prospects.

"It's not necessarily all bad," Fagan said.

"If we had to put him back out there, we could have tried to, but there probably wasn't any point in doing that.

"We'll get some scans and see how it is."

Payne was having a big influence in his return, matched up against Harry McKay and gathering five intercept possessions of his own.

Brisbane led 47-0 when he left the field.

The lead grew to 60 before Carlton surged with five consecutive goals either side of half-time to, at least momentarily, make a game of things.

After playing "the best footy we've played this year for 50 minutes", Fagan said he was pleased with the Lions' response to their opponents' surge.

"There's momentum in footy," he said.

"What about all the goals we kicked?

"You've just got to deal with the momentum when it occurs. I thought we did a pretty good job in the latter part of the third quarter, just to crunch the game up, slow it down and be in a good position by three-quarter time.

"It's how you respond to it.

"I know the murmur went around, because it's happened a couple of times. I don't think Carlton were ever going to get back into that game tonight."

Brisbane has lost both games against GWS this season, including one in round 22 after it had established a 30-point quarter-time lead.

Fagan said his team would have to counter the Giants' pressure and ability to chain possessions with handballs.

"Over the years everyone gets excited about the teams down the bottom of the eight that win, and because the Giants lost, everyone gets down on them and that's the narrative.

"They'll be determined to bounce back.

"We're going to have to play well to beat them at their ground.

"If we can play the football we played, particularly in the first half tonight, we'll challenge anybody."