Carlton coach Brett Ratten has called for a more physical approach as the Blues seek to break an AFL form slump against a Brisbane side without Brendan Fevola at Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.

Fevola, who has been dogged this week by unsubstantiated rumours about a fall-out with a teammate, was forced out of the clash with his former club by a setback with a lingering groin injury.

It leaves the Lions without either of their two star forwards, with captain Jonathan Brown still out of action for another fortnight as he recovers from an abdominal complaint.

While both clubs deal with injuries, Blues coach Brett Ratten was more interested in the mental issues he blames for Carlton's two straight losses leading up to last weekend's mid-year break.

The Blues made five changes, including the forced loss of key players Matthew Kreuzer (knee), Paul Bower (soreness) and Jarrad Waite (suspension).

Ratten criticised his players for not being hard enough at the ball and for suffering lapses in concentration, particularly in the early stages of losses to North Melbourne and Fremantle in the past two rounds.

"When we're switched on and our application's there for the contest and our physicality is up I think you can see our performance - when it's not we drop away," Ratten said.

He stressed the need for an energetic start against the Lions.

"I don't think we've been as desperate as our opposition over the last two weeks," he said.

"Even in the Fremantle game we had seven shots at goal in the first quarter, but I just think we waited for the opposition to make a mistake instead of being the instigator of drawing the mistake.

"It's come to the stage where we need to address it and actually start it from the first minute."

Brisbane have lost eight of their past nine matches as they battle frequent injuries to important players, but coach Michael Voss was also more focused on their attitude.

"The fact is, if we're having missed tackles, not putting that effort in and not winning the contested ball, it wouldn't matter if Superman was playing," he said.

"You can't compete regularly to an AFL standard if you're not prepared to win the footy when it's your turn."

The Lions made four changes from the side that lost to Richmond last round, with Fevola's loss the only once forced, while veteran midfielder Simon Black returns from injury.

Carlton will play without Kreuzer for the first time since round two, 2008, after his season-ending knee reconstruction.

His replacement Shaun Hampson will play his first AFL match since the Blues' galling fade-out loss to the Lions in last year's elimination final at the Gabba.

The Lions also won the two clubs' most recent meeting, at the Gabba in round two.

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