Brisbane Lion Simon Black is unsure when he'll return from injury

BRISBANE great Simon Black says he cannot put a date to his return to footy as he continues to struggle with a groin injury.

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BRISBANE great Simon Black says he cannot put a date to his return to footy as he continues to struggle with a groin injury.

Black conceded he held slim hopes of being available for the must-win match with Port Adelaide and was not sure when he would be able to return to action.

"At this stage I'm not that optimistic but we'll see how the week progresses,'' Black said.

Black missed the majority of the pre-season recovering from a knee injury and believes his attempts to compete at the elite level without his usual fitness base may have caused the injury.

He has not played since the round 14 loss to Hawthorn.

His absence and the expected unavailability of skipper Jonathan Brown means the Lions will once again have to defy tradition.

Brisbane created history on the weekend, winning for the first time in eight years without either of the two stars in the side.

The last time a Lions side sang the song with neither of the premiership pair in the circle was the infamous round 1, 2005 victory over St Kilda.

Hard-nosed veterans Chris Scott and Mal Michael reduced Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt to tears after terrorising him with a series of bumps after he had injured his shoulder.

Black and Brown were serving suspensions from the Lions' 2004 grand final loss to Port Adelaide.

Port have suffered a blow with Tom Jonas rubbed out for three weeks for his hit on Saint Dylan Roberton in the Power's five-point win on Saturday night.

Jonas has been arguably Port's best defender as the club has mounted a resurgence under new coach Ken Hinkley.

This is Brisbane's biggest game since the 2009 finals.

Victory would put them a win outside the top eight but lose and their late-season surge to an unlikely September appearance stops dead.

Port sits in eighth place on the ladder, two wins ahead of the Lions, making the clash a classic eight-point game.

Carlton, who plays the Suns on Saturday, are four points ahead of the Lions while West Coast and Adelaide are on equal points but with vastly superior percentage.