BRISBANE will be without co-captain Harris Andrews for three weeks, with the star defender one of three players suspended over incidents in the Lions' tense loss to the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.

Andrews was suspended over high contact that knocked out Bulldog Arty Jones, while star forward Zac Bailey and tall defender Darcy Gardiner received one-game bans for other incidents.

Brisbane has also confirmed star midfielder Hugh McCluggage will miss at least one week with scans revealing a minor calf strain on Sunday.

Andrews and Jones had flown for an aerial contest and when the ball hit the deck, the Lions skipper flung back his left arm to block the Bulldog's run, but struck Jones in the face.

Jones was immediately treated and taken off with concussion.

The incident was assessed as careless, high contact and severe impact, drawing a three-match suspension.

The loss of Andrews is massive given the Lions face red-hot Sydney and its new spearhead Charlie Curnow next week.

Andrews will also miss games against St Kilda and Collingwood.

Bailey was cited for a third-quarter elbow to the head of Bulldogs debutant Michael Sellwood after the Lions star was tackled over the boundary line by the defender.

It was considered intentional, low impact and high contact.

Gardiner was cited for a high arm to Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton, conceding a 50m penalty in the fourth term.

That incident was ruled high contact, medium impact and careless conduct.

The Lions are yet to announce if they will challenge any of the suspensions at the Tribunal this week.

Ruck recruit Sam Draper, who has battled foot soreness after recovering from an Achilles tear, is a potential inclusion to face Sydney next Saturday.

Hard-nosed defender Noah Answerth also played a practice match in his successful return from the same injury.

Coach Chris Fagan will take comfort from the green on the statistics sheet after the two-time reigning premiers' Opening Round fumble.

The Lions had withstood the Bulldogs' best blows, kicking five consecutive majors to lead by 26 points late in the third term on Saturday.

But the Bulldogs surged back to win by five points - 16.15 (111) to 15.16 (106) - in an enthralling Gabba contest.

Fagan was left with plenty of positives despite the result.

"Not alarm bells," he said. 

"You look at the stats and there's so much green here for us.

"That set of statistics is a good set against the Bulldogs. 

"You take heart from that. They're a good team. Just a number of little things."