Few AFL teams would relish a slugfest with North Melbourne but Brisbane are savouring the prospect of a good old-fashioned wet-weather scrap at the Gabba on Saturday night.

Consistent rain in Brisbane since Wednesday, forecast to continue through the weekend, will see two of the most competitive sides in the league put their hard-nosed reputations on the line.

The Lions are overwhelming favourites, although the wet draws the two sides closer together and Brisbane have embraced the contest with the league's renowned street-fighters.

"We're in for a hell of a fight and we're looking forward to it," Lions radar-boot Josh Drummond told AAP.

"(The weather) is going to make it a very torrid game and a real arm-wrestle so I'd say it will be pretty close.

"Every shot for goal will be like gold tomorrow. The team that converts those half-chances when you get them will be the team that ends up on top."

The rain which has fallen in Brisbane over the past two days has already forced Gabba officials to call off the scheduled curtain-raiser between the Lions reserves and AFLQ leaders Mt Gravatt.

Brisbane's resurgence in 2008 has come courtesy of their pressure football which sees them as the leading tackling side with Sydney.

A third straight Lions (5-4) win would see them leapfrog sixth-placed North (5-1-3) and set them on the path for a tilt at the top four.

The Lions have good form in the wet in the last two seasons, including a two-point win over Collingwood in round two, while the Roos have seen less rain but overcame a slippery Carrara in their round eight win over West Coast.

"It will probably suit both sides a little," Drummond said.

"We've played good wet-weather footy in recent times and they're a side that pride themselves on contested footy and wining the hard ball and they're good in close.

"There's not going to be any easy footy for anyone tomorrow night and I don't think anyone will give an inch either way."

North have added star Daniel Wells (knee) to their long injury list but are buzzing after Sunday's upset of the Western Bulldogs and news the club is close to re-signing seven key men.

Drummond, the eighth-placed Lions' chief rebounder out of defence thanks to a precision 50m kick, could only scoff at the $1.20 bookies are offering for the home side.

"We're confident going into it but they're ahead of us on the ladder, they beat a side who was unbeaten last week so they're in good form as well and we're not kidding ourselves that we're red-hot favourites," he said.

The Kangaroos will wear black arm-bands in honour of popular 1970s ruckman Mick Nolan who passed away during the week and coach Dean Laidley has said his team would aim to pay tribute to the "Galloping Gasometer".

North possess a fine record in south-east Queensland over the past two years but did have their colours lowered badly in their last visit to the Gabba when the Lions restricted them to a record low 5.10 (40).

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