TOM ROCKLIFF says he has to watch the "silly stuff", but the new Brisbane Lions captain won't change the aggressive way he plays.

Rockliff fell on the wrong side of the Tribunal tightrope twice last season, missing matches for separate hits on Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell and Richmond's Alex Rance.

He was also the centre of attention for a verbal post-match confrontation with Kangaroo Brent Harvey, in which the Lion was later forced to apologise and make a donation to charity.

But the 25-year-old says he will keep his competitive edge and hopes his teammates follow suit, as the Lions strive for improvement and a first finals appearance since 2009.

"Obviously I can't be going around getting suspended, so you've got to watch that silly little ticky-touchwood stuff that got me in trouble last year," Rockliff said.

"I'm not going to change too much.

"Obviously you don't want to change too much, otherwise you lose focus of your own job.

“(I will) probably lead by example, and hopefully we can get a few more boys buy in and make it really hard to come to the Gabba and play against us."

Rockliff wears his Lions' heart on his sleeve, and his passion is one of the key ingredients that helped him take over the captaincy from Jed Adcock.

The workaholic midfielder is coming off a career-best season, winning his first All Australian selection and second best and fairest award.

He said switching roles with Adcock had gone seamlessly since the Lions made the change in January.

"The relationship is really good," he said.

"I think we worked pretty well together last year as captain and vice-captain. Jed could have easily done it again this year.

"Not much will change for him either and it's important I still use him and he uses me and we work together. The relationship is still really good.

"We're still quite young and raw (group) and it's about showing the younger boys the way to do it."