BRISBANE Lions coach Michael Voss has confirmed that key forward Daniel Bradshaw will not return from a hamstring injury in Saturday night's clash with fourth-placed Collingwood at the MCG.

Bradshaw sustained the injury in the first quarter of the game against Fremantle in round 16 and early this week was listed by the club as one round away from a recall.

In a surprise move the Lions named Bradshaw in their side on Thursday night, but Voss said from Melbourne's Junction Oval on Friday afternoon that the 30-year-old had not progressed as hoped.

"Braddy hasn't come up," he said. "We ended up giving him a run around on Wednesday night and he got through the training session alright but we wanted to find out how he pulled up. He won't be in the side.

"Earlier in the week we weren't too sure [if he'd be available] and the physio gave us a little bit of a surprise when he said that he might be a chance on Tuesday.

"We ran that (the possibility) into the ground as much as we possibly could and he just didn't come up.

"It (naming him) was a little bit out of hope that he would pull up OK, but the fortunate thing is that we've got him next week."

Midfielder Travis Johnstone and defender Jason Roe are the Lions' travelling emergencies and conditions will be weighed up before a decision is made on who will take Bradshaw's place for the blockbuster.

Jonathan Brown kicked eight goals against North Melbourne in Bradshaw's absence, but Voss denied that was because the captain operated better as a one-out attacking option.

"Part of the reason he joined in [last week] and got his score was because everyone else in the forward line was getting used and getting involved and that opened space for him," he said.

"We know that we can't rely on one particular person because if he gets shut down then there are no other avenues. We certainly don't want that and we've worked hard to move away from that."

The winner of the match will receive a significant boost in its race to snare a top-four position, but Voss denied the loser would be consigned to making a flag tilt from the bottom half of the eight.

"I think last year proved that if you can play right through till the end of the season that there are some genuine opportunities there," he said, referencing St Kilda's top four finish after its round 22 demolition of Essendon.

"It's certainly not our last chance, but it does go a long way to deciding what our future may hold.

"The good thing is that we're in complete control of our own future. We play against sides that are [in similar places] in the pecking order. We're on the same amount points, but they (Collingwood) are ahead on percentage so games like this become really critical in the context of the season."

Ahead of triple premiership player Simon Black's 250th game and draftee Tom Rockliff's first, Voss said both were deserving of recognition.

"We don't necessarily put anyone on a soapbox in our team because we realise that it takes everyone to be able to contribute on game day," he said.

"[But these are] special occasions where it's warranted to recognise the achievements that they've made."