Brisbane coach responds to Lions' critics 'carry-on'

They are conceding an average of 11 more points per game than last year and rank in the bottom half of the competition in a variety of defensive metrics.

Fagan anticipates GWS to respond against a Lions outfit they have beaten in three of their past four encounters.

"There's some obvious things that everyone's talking about in the football world," Fagan said on Thursday of his side's leaky defence.

"We've been scored against a lot from our front half and it's not every week, there's not any one reason.

"We couldn't nail one pattern; it's two or three different things we'll work on."

Fagan laughed off suggestions of deep-seated issues, given Brisbane had won six of their previous seven games before the 41-point loss at the Gabba to the Cats.

"There seems to be a bit of carry-on that we're in a rut ... we haven't played well for the last six quarters, but it's part and parcel of a football season," he said.

"The last two years we've been in similar positions, and you've got to take the good with the bad.

"As a coach I deal with reality, that's my job ... making it sound like there's panic stations at the Brisbane Lions is one that gets raised, but that's not the case."

Dayne Zorko will miss another week due to soreness, while Fagan said Jarrod Berry and Noah Answerth were likely to return for next week's clash with Fremantle.

The Lions were dealt a blow at training on Thursday when Ryan Lester injured his calf, ruling the defender out of Sunday's match.

Ty Gallop has been named in the extended squad after recovering from concussion.

Fagan expects the form of star midfielders Will Ashcroft, Josh Dunkley and Hugh McCluggage, who were all subdued against Geelong, to turn.

"They're just humans and you do have form lapses, it appears right now they're little bit off their best," Fagan said.

"They're proud performers, they're aware of that and will go to work on their game."