BRISBANE must avoid making the same mistakes Fremantle did against Hawthorn in a blockbuster preliminary final, according to modern-day greats Michael Voss and Matthew Lloyd.

Hawks defender James Sicily and Josh Battle earned nine votes each in the Gary Ayres Award for their performances in the Hawks' upset win over the Dockers in their qualifying final.

The pair combined for 22 intercept possessions in that victory, and another huge test awaits against the Lions at the MCG on Saturday.

Speaking on AFL.com.au's Finals Film Room, three-time Brisbane premiership captain Voss said changing angles in possession would be crucial for the Lions to neutralise Hawthorn's interceptors.

"You have to be able to shift lanes," he said.

"You'll see through the dominance of what Sicily was able to do in this game. And they do have a really strong emphasis of being able to line out from the ball.

"If you don't shift the ball, they'll just line out and take really assertive positions. You can't out-read this guy.

"If you're not prepared to use your numbers further up the ground or shift it off the line, you have to come up and meet him, get into his blind spot."

A three-time Coleman Medal winner and 2000 premiership player, Essendon champion Lloyd said the Lions should learn from the Dockers forwards' mistakes.

Josh Treacy (four disposals, one goal), Jye Amiss (five, one) and Pat Voss (11, zero) had disappointing games against the Hawks, but they did provide a blueprint for the Lions to follow.

"These forwards just kept getting caught in front position, but sometimes (you must) take back position," he said.

"Don't go on long searching leads where they're going to pick you off and intercept mark. And that's what I think the Dockers got wrong.

"And, also, the ball movement was so slow by Fremantle in this game that I think it played into these Hawks' hands."