Injury setback won't hold back Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown Brisbane Lions Training Jonathan Brown Photographer Philip Norrish Source: News Limited CLUBS down south travel the globe in search of it, but new Lions boss Justin Leppitsch says having Queensland's sticky weather in his backyard provides the perfect leg-up to his senior coaching career. After years as Richmond assistant in dreary Melbourne, Leppitsch put his new-look Brisbane squad through its paces on a muggy and overcast Giffin Park yesterday as the triple-flag winner seeks to snap the club's four-year finals hiatus. Like any rookie coach, the 38-year-old will take all the help he can get and reckons he's been gifted the key pre-season weapon the rest of the AFL craves. "It is hot, I forgot about it a little bit, to be honest," he said. It is steamy but it's Queensland conditions. It's funny because a lot of teams are training in the heat and going to all parts of the world to get heat acclimation but we get it right at our doorstep, so we're pretty lucky. Star draftee James Aish hits the training track. Picture: Philip Norrish Source: News Limited Also aiding the fledgling mentor are the new members of his coaching staff - retired great Simon Black and former Hawthorn boss Peter Schwab, who will act as a senior coaching director. Leppitsch says those additions have made his shift into the hot seat vacated by Michael Voss all the easier. "I love the role," he said. All the steps that I want have been put in place to date. Schwabby has been terrific for me. (He's) a former coach himself that can help me get through the little challenges and the little management challenges of this role. He's been invaluable for me. While the rest of the playing group began the arduous task of putting miles in the legs ahead of next month's NAB Cup, co-captain Jonathan Brown was among a small group on modified training programs as the veteran forward puts the finishing touches on recovery from a foot injury. Leppitsch says Brown is looking "really good" ahead of his 15th and final AFL campaign. "Everyone is training well," he said. When games come along, particularly with our younger players, some will cope better than others. Brownie from this point on will have a modified pre-season anyway so I don't think it will affect his run into the games. He'll be back on the park in the next week or so. Having done his tutelage under Damien Hardwick at Richmond, Leppitsch is expected to bring a harder edge to the Lions in 2014. "Our game plan hopefully is going to be modern and up-to-date," he said. We want lots of numbers around the ball. Our contested ball numbers have been poor for a long time so we need to get them up.