DAYNE Zorko's early-season struggles are not all bad for the Brisbane Lions, young defender Alex Witherden says. 

Zorko has been at the centre of most opposition planning against Brisbane in the first five rounds, culminating in Touk Miller's aggressive shutdown job for Gold Coast on Sunday. 

Zorko, an All Australian in 2017, is averaging just 16 disposals a game and has kicked four goals.

This is well down from his career-best season last year, where he averaged 25 touches and kicked 34 goals.

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Against the Suns, Zorko finished with 10 disposals and a goal, and it was second-year midfielders Hugh McCluggage (26) and Jarrod Berry (25) that picked up the slack and dragged the Lions back into the game from 27 points down. 

"There's been a lot made of Zorko getting a tag and not having a big influence on the game, but taking a player out like that takes a lot of the opposition's focus and that allows Hugh to get off the chain, 'Bez' (Berry) to get off the chain," Witherden said. 

"They've both had a career-best amount of disposals. 

"Although it looks like Zorko's impact is down, it's helping others break through and get a bit of the footy.

"Although it's a negative, there's positives from those situations." 

Berry said it was now up to Brisbane's midfield to help Zorko break opposition attention, starting with Saturday's contest against Greater Western Sydney. 

"For him to impact games we need to get him into the game," Berry said. 

"That starts with younger players like myself or Dayne Beams even, just to hit the opposition and lay blocks for him.

"Zorko is working out ways to shake the tag.

"He's an upbeat character and brings the energy to the club. He hasn't stopped doing that. 

"I know he'd want to perform better than he is at the moment but that's part of his development. We're all here supporting him and backing him to do that."

Witherden said the Lions were "gutted" to lose the QClash but had quickly moved on.

"Plenty of fans and members have shown disappointment and we're right there with them," he said.

"We were pretty flat after the game but 'Fages' (coach Chris Fagan) got us in and focused on rebounding and responding this week against the Giants. 

"These close losses are all a learning curve."