CHRIS Fagan says Brisbane has gone "back to what we know" with Oscar McInerney to ruck one-out against St Kilda at the Gabba on Saturday night.
Joe Daniher's return from a shoulder injury has forced Fagan to omit Darcy Fort from the Lions' 22 after he had rucked alongside McInerney all 12 games to date.
Daniher, Eric Hipwood and 150-gamer Dan McStay will share the forward line for the first time in 2022 – a trio that combined for a 10-1 win-loss record last season.
Fagan said he was backing his own team's set-up rather concerning himself with the two-pronged ruck threat of Paddy Ryder and Rowan Marshall.
"We've just got to go with what we think is our best combination, and we know that Oscar is very very capable of playing the large majority of the game in the ruck," he said.
"He'll just need a little bit of help from the other boys in the forward line from time to time.
"It's not like it's a new thing for us.
"We played that way for a big chunk of last year, and did so pretty successfully I might add when those three boys were in the team together with Oscar.
"It's just going back to what we know."
Daniher offered ruck relief last season, but Fagan said McInerney could get help from all of the Lions' tall forwards against the Saints.
The other change for a Brisbane outfit that has lost two of its past three matches was recalling Mitch Robinson after he was dropped and played three games in the VFL.
The veteran wingman averaged 30 disposals, nine marks and kicked five goals at the lower level and has come in for Jaxon Prior.
"He's played really well in the reserves, which is what you're supposed to do when you get dropped," Fagan said.
"He's done that over a period of time and we felt like those efforts needed to be rewarded.
"Robbo just brings that vigour, that's his trademark that he's played with all the way through his career.
"He understands the wing role particularly well, he's been doing a good job with that for the best part of five years.
"It was natural enough for us to pick him on this occasion."
