Brisbane coach Michael Voss admits he should have rested captain Jonathan Brown earlier in the AFL season.

Brown kicked four goals in Saturday's 63-point loss to Geelong, his second game back from a four-week break because of an abdominal injury.

The star forward originally hurt himself in the round-five loss to Melbourne but he kept playing for the next six matches.

Eventually, Brown's problem became too hard to manage and he had the time off.

"If I had my time again I definitely would have changed that decision, that's one of the things you look back and reflect on," Voss told Channel Seven's Game Day.

"(With) the benefit of hindsight, you think 'what else are the things we would have changed' and based on what we know now, I definitely would have made that choice for sure."

The Lions have lost 12 of their last 13 games after starting the season with four-straight wins.

Brown was starved of opportunities early in Saturday's game against the Cats but he worked his way into the match.

He also kicked three goals in round 16 when Brown returned against the Hawks.

"He's certainly moving around all right at the moment - he's certainly due to play," Voss said.

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