Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has bristled when quizzed about whether the Lions were happy with their new three captain system of Harris Andrews, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley.
After three consecutive losses, the two-time reigning premiers are on the back foot for the first time in a while as they sit in ninth spot with a record of 6-6 at the halfway mark of the season.
Fagan said he had nothing but praise for how his three co-captains were leading the club together.
"In terms of having the three leaders, I find that quite a strange question (on if the club's happy)," Fagan said. "I am really happy with them. They are great."
McCluggage and Dunkley, both of which are in their first season as captains, have been two senior players whose form has dropped in 2026.
However, Fagan pointed to the interrupted pre-seasons for the pair were to blame rather than added leadership responsibility.
"I wouldn't draw the connection there," he said. "It's been different for different blokes. I mean 'Hughy' McCluggage played in the State of Origin game and then got a calf in a practice game and then injured it again in the first game and missed five or six weeks, so his preparation (has) been inhabited a little bit.
"Josh Dunkley, you know he had ankle and shoulder surgery over the pre-season and missed a bit of the pre-season build up in terms of match practice and has been trying to play a little bit of catch up.
"The only thing those boys are guilty of is trying too hard to be great leaders and I think that's a pretty honourable problem to have and I am sure they will sort that out as they go along."
The Lions face Gold Coast this weekend in a tantalising Q-Clash fixture. The Suns will be eager to cement their place in the top six, while Fagan's chargers could drop out of a wildcard spot if they were to lose.
In terms of Brisbane's form slump, Fagan said while he and his team have work to do, it's not panic stations yet as the Lions' three losses have come against some of the league's best.
"When you're not going all that well, and I will repeat, we have played Geelong, we have played the Giants who are in great form as it's turned out and we have played Freo who are in great form," he said.
"Keep in mind though, that the team we played last weekend are the best team in the comp at the moment, they have won 11 in a row they are going really well.
"We had our moments in that last quarter where we looked like we were going to get back into that game, so we weren't too far away. Had a good amount of inside 50s, a lot more than them and 28 shots on goal which is a good effort against the number one defensive team in the comp. So there was some good things to draw out of the game."
