Lions great Simon Black has hailed the impact new fitness guru Brett Burton has made since leaving Adelaide to help revive Brisbane through his canny AFL pre-season regime.

The retired Crows forward knocked back an approach by NRL club Melbourne Storm to link with the Lions and has quickly made his mark at the Gabba, the Lions confident his repeat-effort training focus will pay off.

Black said Burton had seen the Lions work "smarter rather than harder" this pre-season as they attempt to come to grips with the AFL's ever-quickening style of game.

"He's been fantastic," Brisbane's vice-captain said on Monday. "To a man everyone agrees he's been really great for our group and has brought some fresh ideas and the guys have jumped on to them really well and enjoyed them.

"The game these days is all about repeat speed and Burts has brought that with his training style.

"It was still hard and all pre-seasons are pretty tough but we've trained in a good way over the past couple of months.

"We're still doing the work but it's more the repeat-speed style of training ... rather than the longer grind-type of training."

Famously fit himself, Burton played 177 matches and kicked 264 goals in a 12-year career with the Crows where he was a cult hero for signature high-flying marks that earned him the nickname "Birdman".

Before retiring last year, the 32-year-old physical performance manager completed a bachelor and honours degree in sports science.

Black, who turns 32 himself this season, remained confident the Lions could bounce back after a disastrous 2010 when they finished 13th and lost key men Michael Rischitelli and Jared Brennan.

But the 2003 Brownlow Medallist stressed Brisbane must scrap for every bit of success.

"We're probably not the most talented side in the AFL but if we work hard and are a committed group results will come no doubt and that's what we've focussed on."

The Lions will spend two days in flood-ravaged Toowoomba this week for their AFL Community Camp.

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