SUNDAY'S showdown between Brisbane and Fremantle at Optus Stadium won't be decided where you think it will, says Lions coach Chris Fagan.

While Brisbane boasts the most potent attack in the League, and the Dockers the stingiest defence, Fagan is looking elsewhere for his team to have success.

"I would suggest for us to win this game we've got to do well at the contest, and we've got to be extra good at our team defence, and that's been a focus this week," Fagan said on Friday.

The Lions have topped the ton in their past six games, but their previously strong defence has shown some holes in the past fortnight.

They conceded 117 points when losing to Hawthorn in round 10, and then coughed up eight first quarter goals in last Saturday's win over Greater Western Sydney.

However, as Fagan pointed out, the final three-plus quarters against the Giants showed a marked improvement in defence, conceding just seven goals.

It's something he hopes to build on if Brisbane is to topple third-placed Fremantle.

"It's really hard to go through a season and be perfect every week," he said.

"Every now and then parts of your game fall away and it's good because you get a reminder and you go back to work on it and hopefully we've done enough of it this week to get a good result.

"We were (conceding) 69 points a game, second or third best defence, for nine weeks, it's not a bad body of work.

"The game's going to mean a fair bit, the boys are highly motivated."

Brisbane has welcomed back Hugh McCluggage after the classy midfielder missed last week's match with a hamstring niggle.

Fagan also confirmed key forward Joe Daniher was in line to return from a shoulder injury next week.