Possible surgery to Jonathan Brown may put on hold tentative succession plans to replace Michael Voss as Brisbane Lions skipper next year.

Brown has been officially ruled out for the rest of the AFL season due to osteitis pubis and may need to go under the knife to be fully fit for 2006.

The star forward was a mere passenger in the five-goal loss to Port Adelaide which has left Brisbane needing to beat an equally injury-riddled St Kilda on Saturday night and see Essendon upset Melbourne for an unlikely finals berth.

The clash at Telstra Dome could be Voss's last in charge of the Lions despite an inspirational return to form in a losing outfit over the past fortnight.

Showing no signs of the knee dramas that have plagued him in recent years, the skipper picked up a match-high 34 possessions against Port in his first full match of the season.

Coach Leigh Matthews admitted Voss was no certainty to retain the leadership of the 2001-2003 AFL triple premiers for a 10th straight season.

"Michael's ability and his ability as captain is there beyond reproach but one day he won't be captain and it won't necessarily be the day he retires," Matthews said.

"But I haven't thought about it. There's no need to think about it and we'll think about it over the summer.

"It's not a gigantic issue. What Michael did on the weekend he'd be doing whether he was captain or not."

Voss has previously nominated the influential Brown, 23, as a likely successor before he ends his career at the Gabba.

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