CHRIS Fagan has tried something new in his coaching career this week and says complacency won't be a problem for Brisbane ahead of Saturday night's game against a depleted West Coast at the Gabba.

The 6-1 Lions have called in Jack Payne to replace injured forward Joe Daniher to face an Eagles outfit decimated by absences through injury and health and safety protocols.

Fagan said the players have taken more ownership of preparations this week – something he saw successfully done in his time at Hawthorn.

He said it was a different stimulus that could break up the week-to-week grind of hearing the same messaging.

"It's been a week where, we haven't ignored our opposition because we respect the West Coast Eagles and think they're a terrific team having some hardship at the moment, but we've basically focused on ourselves," Fagan said.

"For the first time in my coaching career the players have had a big input into the planning for this game, they're owning it.

"I'm very much looking forward to tomorrow night to see how their plans work.

"I'm not being flippant about the game, I see it as a real opportunity for our guys to develop."

Fagan said it had still been a partnership between the coaches and players, and one that had elicited the answers he wanted to hear.

"I talked to our players about 'what the obstacles are to us playing at our best tomorrow night'.

"They certainly identified some of those things (complacency).

"A picture can easily be painted we're playing a West Coast Eagles team full of young blokes that have hardly played any football, but the truth is they'll still run out tomorrow with 12 or 13 players that played in their premiership side not so long ago.

"To disrespect them in any way, shape or form would be a big mistake by us.

"In sport you see it all the time, teams with their backs-to-the-wall can certainly come out and produce a great performance."