With a new Senior Coach invariably comes a new game plan, and fans will be eager to see what the Justin Leppitsch-led Brisbane Lions have in store for them when the NAB Challenge matches kick-off next month.

The Lions have spent considerable time learning a new game style this pre-season and, according to Leppitsch, are becoming more and more comfortable executing it at training.

“It’s been really good. The players are slowly understanding (the game plan), and performing it consistently,” Leppitsch said.

“But the opposition tend to want to stop your game plan, so the real challenge will come when there are other jumpers in front of us. We’ll see then whether we can think through the pressure under those scenarios and still do what we want to do.”

Leppitsch obviously wasn’t about to divulge his entire game plan, but revealed there would be a large focus on winning the contested ball.

“Our game plan is going to be modern and up-to-date, and obviously we want plenty of numbers around the ball – particularly at stoppages and scrimmages,” he said.

“Our contested ball numbers have been poor for a period of time, so we’ve got to get them up, there’s no doubt about that.”

The three-time premiership centre half-back also said he hadn’t given a second thought to the Lions’ challenging start to the 2014, which will see the Club travel interstate three times in the opening four weeks of the season.

“To be perfectly honest, I’m not too worried about the fixture. I’m not about to worry about the ‘uncontrollables’ just yet,” he said.

“We’ll play 22 games like everyone else. Some get a harder draw than others – that’s just a fact of life. It’s the ‘luck of the draw’.”