Brisbane will attempt to free Cam Rayner for the side's AFL elimination final against Richmond when they challenge his one-match suspension at the tribunal.
The Lions confirmed on Monday they would fight the careless conduct charge that stemmed from his tackle on Melbourne's Ben Brown, but accept defender Noah Answerth's suspension for his body blow to Alex Neal-Bullen.
Rayner has 23 goals in 21 games this season and has proven himself a match-winner in recent times, including with his four second-half goals in a win over St Kilda two weeks ago.
Along with hard-nosed defender Answerth, he would be a crucial omission after he was reported for slinging Brown face-first into the Gabba turf on Friday night.
Lions football boss Danny Daly told RadioTab on Monday the club would not be contesting the charge unless confident they had a realistic argument.
Daly noted Brisbane's stirring VFL victory over the previously undefeated Casey Demons, in which Deven Robertson and Mitch Robinson starred, at least gave the AFL side options in the absence of Rayner and Answerth.
Meanwhile, Daly said Dayne Zorko's Brisbane teammates hold the key to his captaincy future.
Zorko has faced criticism for his sledging of Melbourne's Harrison Petty during Friday's heavy loss that reduced the Demons youngster to tears.
The Lions and Zorko moved fast to apologise after the incident, and the AFL will not pursue the matter further.
However, North Melbourne great David King has led the criticism of Zorko, declaring on Fox Footy that "he can't be captain doing that stuff".
"I reckon the players have got to legislate on their own," he said.
"In the off season they should come together and say, 'We've got to look after each other, we're not going to accept this from Dayne Zorko'. This is not the first time."
Daly was among those to counsel Zorko in the aftermath of the incident and on Monday said there would be no intervention from above.
"Zorks has done a great job for this club over the last four years, leading us out of the wilderness," he told RadioTab.
"Not ideal what unfolded on Friday night, he's quite sorry for it and still emotional about it all.
"We haven't discussed it (captaincy) ... that's more a thing for next year when our leadership vote happens, as it normally does every year."
