DEFIANT Brisbane coach Chris Fagan says his team is "disappointed, but not defeated" as it prepares to host Essendon in a must-win match at the Gabba on Saturday night.

The Lions have tumbled from second to fifth on the ladder following losses to Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood where they had control for large portions of each match.

With the double chance now relying on a monumental West Coast upset of Geelong at GMHBA Stadium, Brisbane must beat the Bombers to host an elimination final.

A loss could see them miss finals altogether.

Speaking ahead of his team's main session on Thursday morning, Fagan said there was "disappointment" following the one-point loss to the Magpies, with a top-four tilt now out of their own hands.

"There's also another way of looking at it," Fagan said.

Chris Fagan watches his team after the R23 match between Brisbane and Collingwood at the MCG on August 17, 2024. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

"We've just lost two games that, let's be honest, we should have won, and really just didn't take our opportunities in front of goal either by not completing plays or missing shots we should have kicked.

"As a coach you look at that and go 'it's not because we're playing bad'. We created enough opportunities … and we just didn't finish off.

"We're disappointed, but not defeated. 

"We're still very optimistic about ourselves and what we can do this year."

16:49

A Game of Moments: How the Lions won the flag

Craig Starcevich, Bre Koenen and Brisbane’s leading players look back at the Lions’ journey to a second AFLW premiership in 2023.

Published on Aug 31, 2024

Brisbane has sported 2-5 and 4-6-1 records at different stages this season, trundling away in 13th place at the mid-season bye with injuries piling up.

Fagan said the mental strength and resilience shown to climb up from that position held them in good stead.

"You're always going to have a stumble or two in this competition, because it's a hard competition," he said.

"We'll bounce back, we've been bouncing back all year."

Midfielder Jarrod Berry is a "good chance" of facing the Bombers with scans confirming no damage to a hamstring that forced him off the field at quarter-time last Saturday.

Brisbane confirmed on Thursday morning that former skipper Dayne Zorko would play on for a 14th season, signing him to a contract for 2025.

Zorko has had a fabulous season after being moved to half-back to cover for injured Keidean Coleman, well and truly in the running for his second All-Australian jacket.

"He'll go down in history as one of our all-time great players," Fagan said.