Despite the loss of several key players to injury and captain Jonathan Brown’s suspension, Brisbane still believe they can beat Collingwood in Friday’s AFL clash at the Gabba.

Brown is out for two weeks after unsuccessfully contesting a striking charge at the tribunal on Tuesday, while vice-captain Tom Rockliff and ruckman Matthew Leuenberger will also miss the Magpies visit due to injury.

Rockliff is out for up to two weeks with a quad injury and Leuenberger will miss a month due to a dislocated thumb.

Add the already missing Daniel Merrett (suspension), Daniel Rich (shoulder) and Mitch Golby (foot) and the job is looking extremely tough for the Lions against a Magpies outfit keen to bounce back from their loss to reigning premiers Sydney last weekend.

But the concern clearly hasn’t reached Brent Staker, who said the Lions’ backs-to-the-wall win over Essendon a fortnight ago showed the team’s resilience in the face of adversity.

“Missing those guys, clearly they’re quality players, but the reserves have been in good form and they’ll fill the void,” Staker told reporters on Thursday.

“We should attack it the same way we attacked the Essendon game.”

The Bombers victory holds a special significance for Staker, who celebrated a win on his return from successive knee reconstructions that had kept him sidelined for almost two years.

But Staker knows the Magpies won’t be without motivation following a tumultuous week where the club has found itself embroiled in a racism storm following a fan’s comments towards Swans star Adam Goodes and then president Eddie McGuire’s on-air gaffe.

“We definitely expect them to come out all guns blazing,” Staker said.

“They come off an interesting game last week and it’s been an interesting week for them.

“I’m sure that stuff won’t faze them. Footy is business.

“I expect them from the very first minute to be flat out.”