Lions football manager Dean Warren says the club will be forced to manage Black's workload and the veteran is set to miss the entire NAB Cup campaign after having knee surgery in December.
Newly named co-captain Jed Adcock and veteran skipper Jonathan Brown will also miss the Lions' NAB Cup opener.
Brown is being held back as part of a "long term plan", while Adcock – named as a co-leader on Wednesday - has a slightly delayed start after off-season hip surgery.
"We're hopeful [Black] will be ready for round one still but at this stage we're not going to push him either," Warren said.
"Blacky won't play until he's 100 per cent right. We want him to finish the year in great shape.
"It'll be touch and go for round one. We certainly will manage Blacky's workload over the course of the year.
"We've probably discussed that with him. Ultimately we want to make sure he can maintain that intensity."
Newly appointed vice-captains Daniel Rich and Tom Rockliff will take the reins in the two matches at Metricon Stadium.
Brown said he would return in round three of the NAB Cup against Collingwood at Etihad Stadium on March 9.
"This has been a long term plan, to play the last couple of NAB Cups," Brown said.
"(I'm) Feeling really good at training, everything's on track."
Warren said the Lions would welcome any investigation into the football club after they were put under the spotlight this week with claims from Ash McGrath's brother Jason he supplied the club with drugs. It was also alleged the Lions were embroiled in illegal gambling and match fixing between 2002-09.
"If anyone's got any credible evidence, we're very comfortable for them to go the AFL integrity unit or the Queensland Police."
Adcock said he would return a week earlier, against GWS on March 2 and planned to play every match after.
Both played in the Lions' intraclub trial last week.
