CHRIS Fagan expects a different Brisbane performance to the one his "overawed" outfit produced against Collingwood last year when the teams meet in a Friday night blockbuster at the Gabba.

The Lions will unveil their sixth debutant for the season, with 20-year-old Academy product Keidean Coleman to play his first game in a match the home team is desperate to win.

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Brisbane has not beaten the Magpies since 2014, and last year's 62-point loss in a primetime Easter Thursday contest was a rare poor outing. 

On the eve of a match that will sell out the Gabba's current capacity of 16,000, Brisbane coach Fagan said his team has learned from last year. 

"Last year we got the opportunity to play Collingwood here on a Thursday night and I thought we were a little bit overawed," he said. 

"I thought we carried on as a club a little too much, it's been pretty low key this week. 

"We just want to put a performance on the board, that's all we care about." 

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Brisbane is currently third on the ladder with a 10-3 record and is fresh off a much-needed 12-day break after it barely squeaked past North Melbourne and St Kilda. 

Fagan said his team looked energised and he was confident in unleashing half-forward Coleman on the big stage. 

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"He's had some fantastic performances this year," Fagan said. 

"He's got beautiful skills, great balance, (he's a) good tackler. 

"I think it's great he gets his opportunity. His is a really good story. 

"He moved from Darwin when he was nine years old to improve his education and get a chance at footy and here he is 10 years later getting his debut." 

Coleman will replace the suspended Lincoln McCarthy, while veteran defender Daniel Rich is also expected to force his way back into the team after missing the most recent match with a tight hamstring. 

Less than 24 hours after Brisbane was announced as the 2020 Toyota AFL Grand Final host, Fagan said although he understood the excitement, the Lions wouldn't be buying into it. 

"We'll be aspiring to be there and there'd be nothing greater than a Grand Final at the Gabba with a Brisbane team in it … but our focus is really narrow," he said. 

"This might add a little more spice to it, I've got no doubt it might, but it won't be something we'll openly talk about.

"It's more our little story of where we're heading and what we're trying to do and hopefully it brings out the best performance in us."