Jonathan Brown has acknowledged what many have suspected since he began his AFL career 11 years ago - fear is not a part of his DNA.

Brown yet again personified courage and toughness on Saturday night in producing a best-on-ground display at the Gabba to lift the Brisbane Lions to a pressure-relieving first win of the season.

In his return from multiple facial fractures, and with North Melbourne seemingly in control in the third term, the Lions captain kicked four second-half goals and took 11 marks in the wet for a 10.13 (73) to 9.11 (59) victory.

It wasn't vintage Brown, as he was frustrated for the entire first half by first-gamer Luke Delaney, and he conceded his touch was still a fair way off his best.

But his mere presence, leadership and experience was crucial to inspiring the Lions' drought-ending success in a scrappy encounter.

Undeterred by the horrific injury he suffered in the round one collision with Docker Luke McPharlin, Brown threw himself into every contest like his previous 201 games.

"Once the game started for me I forgot about the whole thing," he said.

"The only way I thought I could get back on the horse and get my confidence back was to fly as hard as I could at those balls coming in."

Brown's momentum-shifting second goal, from a diving mark similar to the McPharlin collision, epitomised his fearlessness - a trait most notably highlighted with his 2002 mark of the year running back with the flight of the ball against Hawthorn.

Asked whether he'd ever felt fear on the football ground, Brown indicated he hadn't.

"It's part of my job, it's been part of my role since I was 10 years old playing that centre half-forward position. I've grown up going after as many balls as I could," he said.

"The thought (fear) doesn't really cross my mind."

Down by 19 late in the third term, Brisbane started playing the conditions better, banging the ball in long to their captain, who was also the beneficiary of two 50m penalties from Scott McMahon and Scott Thompson.

"To be able to hold our nerve after being a fair way down considering the conditions at halftime was a pretty gutsy effort," Brown said. "Hopefully that gives us the impetus to go forward and knock over the Crows next Sunday."

Kangaroos coach Brad Scott was livid with McMahon and Thompson's ill-disciplined acts either side of three-quarter time, as well as his side's limp final term effort.

"Brisbane really lifted in the second half and we couldn't match their intensity ... they lifted and we just stopped to a walk in the last quarter," said Scott, who was angered further when asked if it was any consolation his former team was now off the mark this year.

"Is that a serious question," he said. "It's irrelevant.

"We came here to win and I'm as bitterly disappointed as I've been this year."

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