Brisbane Lions forward Daniel Bradshaw is confident his goal-scoring partner Jonathan Brown isn't leaving the Sunshine State, despite speculation he wants to return home to Victoria.

Lions chairman Tony Kelly has refuted claims that talks with the off-contract Brown have stalled, saying the delay in securing a signature is due to the importance the potent full-forward places on his next contract.

Collingwood appear the front-runner to lure Brown south, in what is becoming an increasingly complicated process.

Bradshaw, who with Brown has booted 125 goals for the Lions this season, on Thursday admitted it was difficult for Victorian-born players to live away from friends and family.

"It's obviously very hard because you've got your family there, but at the end of the day when I had that choice I'd been here up for so long, and being part of the premiership years I'd made some pretty good friends," the 29-year-old Wodonga product said.

"At the end of the day it wasn't really that hard a decision."

While staying away from the spotlight of the Melbourne media proved a key factor in Bradshaw remaining in Brisbane, he admits that might not prove so significant for Brown.

"That obviously wouldn't worry him too much in terms of his footy, I think he can play footy and still have media (commitments)," Bradshaw said.

"But obviously we want him to stay in Brisbane and I'm confident he's going to stay.

"He's been the figurehead of the club, he's the best player in the team.

"We're not going to be quite as strong if he's not playing for the Brisbane Lions."

Four successive losses leave the ninth-placed Lions under enormous pressure as they battle for a finals spot, hardly an ideal situation heading into Saturday's clash with high-flying Hawthorn in Launceston.

Bradshaw said the Lions playing group was well aware of the challenge they faced to achieve what seemed a formality midway through the season.

"We can't really afford to drop many games from here on in ... we need to at least win three to be a certainty of playing finals," he said.

"It's a massive game this weekend and we've just got to go in there and pretty much give all we've got.

"I think most players would probably think we've underachieved if we haven't made the finals this year."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP