JUSTIN Leppitsch has downplayed the significance of next Sunday's wooden spoon battle against Essendon, describing it as just another game.

The Brisbane Lions coach has been under pressure most of the season and it's sure to ramp up again this week after his team's 79-point mauling from Greater Western Sydney on Sunday.

The result leaves the Lions in 17th place, mere percentage points clear of Essendon, which shares a 1-15 record.

At the start of the season, it seemed inconceivable that someone could challenge the Bombers for last place, but that's the position the Lions find themselves in after 12 straight losses.

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While Leppitsch, who is contracted until the end of 2017, has been guaranteed his job by Lions powerbrokers regardless of next week's result, a loss to Essendon would be a new low in a horror season.

None of it seems to faze Leppitsch though, who despite the prospect of plummeting to the bottom spot on the ladder, said he wouldn't be sweating in the build-up to the game.

"We go to win every game so it doesn't really change," he said.

"We don't sit around in a foetal position rocking back and forward, thinking, 'we'd better win this week’.

"We go out there, set a task and try to achieve it."

Five talking points: Brisbane Lions v Greater Western Sydney

Leppitsch denied it was a wooden spoon battle, saying there were another five games to follow.

"We've got some winnable games at the back end as well that we can take care of," he said.

"I know most people will put a lot of emphasis on the game.

WATCH: Justin Leppitsch's full post-match media conference

"We will go down there and put in our best performance. We just have to focus on what we can do."

Essendon will likely start the game as favourite after terrific efforts against St Kilda and Richmond in the past fortnight came up just short.

Leppitsch said his team's performance against the Giants wasn't horrible, but it was outmuscled by the opposition's powerhouse midfield.

He said the older players stood up, particularly captain Tom Rockliff (34 touches and two goals), vice-captain Dayne Zorko and ruckman Stefan Martin, who recovered from a knee to the ribs to battle the game out.