CHRIS Fagan says despite dealing with a decimated backline, Brisbane will keep things simple at the selection table ahead of Saturday's QClash against Gold Coast.

With limited options to replace key defenders Harris Andrews (concussion) and Darragh Joyce (jaw), the Lions' coach said match committee discussions had not been significantly different to normal.

Brisbane is considering moving Eric Hipwood from the forward line to defence, while Jaxon Prior is another option to play alongside Ryan Lester.

Although not delving into specifics, Fagan said Brisbane was considering all options to take on the Suns' tall trio of Ben King (202cm), Jed Walter (195cm) and Jack Lukosius (195cm).

"They'll probably pick the land of the giants this week up in their forward line. That's their business," Fagan said prior to his team's main training session on Thursday morning.

“I want to keep it pretty simple.

"If you try to be too creative and too smart as a coach in this game, then players get distracted, so we'll just make a couple of simple decisions about two blokes that are going to play down there this week because we've lost two.

"They'll get the job done. There's a fair chance that one of those players won't have had much experience playing in the backline.

"I know all the boys down there will be looking forward to the challenge.

"The view is probably if Gold Coast can dominate territory, then they'll cause us all sorts of problems because of their height advantage.

"Our blokes are going to be determined to fight and get the ball to ground and get it going back our way."

Fagan said he was still waiting to confirm a timeframe on Joyce's return after he suffered a "non-displaced fracture" against Sydney on Sunday.

Brisbane has won its past seven games to roar into third place on the ladder and is taking on a Suns outfit desperate to win to keep its finals hopes alive.

In the corresponding match last year, Gold Coast thumped Brisbane by 41 points – something Fagan has tried to put out of his memory.

"I felt like our guys, in a way, took it for granted that they were just going to go down to the stadium there and beat the Suns. We weren't on our game," he said.

"That’s a lesson we have to learn from that because if we're not on our game this week, they'll beat us. There's nothing surer than that."