Michael Voss has dismissed concerns Brisbane are wobbling into their first AFL finals series in five seasons by claiming his young Lions are fresh and full of energy.

Brisbane have dropped out of top-four contention with a three-match winless streak and must overcome the desperate Port Adelaide on Saturday night to bolster fading hopes of a Gabba play-off.

But first-year coach Voss strongly denied his large band of youngsters were tiring at the business end of the year.

He attributed the seventh-placed Lions' rut to their failure to rise to the occasion in three high-pressure clashes.

"I think we're in really good shape," Voss said on Friday.

"I think we've managed the group pretty well. I don't think they're tired at all.

"We've got more players coming back and playing so I'm not concerned about that at all.

"What it is more is a step up in intensity and we haven't made that step up in the last two or three weeks."

Voss preferred to look on the bright side of their slide, highlighting the top-four standings of Collingwood and Western Bulldogs, who beat them either side of their draw to Essendon.

"And Essendon knocked off the top side (St Kilda)," he said.

"We have played some sides that have been in genuine form so if you look at it as a form comparison, maybe we're not that far off it like many people think," he said.

"When it comes to this time of the year it's about intensity and ferocity."

Voss has been boosted by the impending return from injury of several regular starters.

Vice-captain Jed Adcock (knee) leads the way, playing in the reserves on Saturday alongside Troy Selwood, Rhan Hooper and Pearce Hanley.

Young ruckman Matthew Leuenberger will also return from knee surgery in the AFLQ but is no certainty to play in the finals.

The dreadfully inconsistent Port head to the Gabba looking to end a seven-match drought away from home to keep their season alive.

Ruckman Dean Brogan has rated it a grand final for the ninth-placed Power who have suffered shock losses to Melbourne and Fremantle in their past two games interstate.

Port coach Mark Williams was confident his men had put the painful thoughts of missed chances behind them to focus on the Gabba assignment.

"The disappointment lasts for a day or two," Williams said.

"Then you get back onto what the hell can we do about it, because we've still got some chance and we have to take that chance if we can."

Brisbane are braced for a major test of their discipline after Port bullied them into a 48-point thumping in round 14 at AAMI Stadium.

Jared Brennan's headbutt of Josh Carr highlighted how Port effectively got under the Lions' skin and Brennan expects to be a marked man again even though Carr (ankle) is sidelined.

"They brought a greater intensity to the game than we did," Voss said.

"We turned up to play whereas they were turning up to throw everything at it."

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