Michael Voss has fired the first shot ahead of this weekend’s much anticipated QCLASH6 at the GABBA, proclaiming the Gold Coasters are still the “little brother” despite sitting on top of the embattled Lions on the AFL ladder.

"They'll always be little brother, that's the way we feel about it," Voss said.

"Every single time we play one another there's always that little bit extra on it.

"There'll be nothing new you have to say to emphasise that. It's two local teams fighting it out and it's going to be a big clash.

"For us being at home, it takes on that bit extra."

The Gold Coast, with a 5-8 win-loss record, have for the most part this season exceeded the expectations of the wider football community while the Lions have battled for consistency placing their senior coach under enormous scrutiny.

It doesn’t look as though the grass is looking any greener for Vossy’s playing group, with key defender Daniel Merrett likely to miss the Round 15 blockbuster as he struggled to overcome a groin injury.

But despite Merrett’s potential absence and his side’s recent 58-point thumping by ladder leaders Hawthorn, Voss said there would be no excuses for either team this Saturday night.

"When all things are considered equal, when you walk over that white line … there’s no boys that walk out on an AFL field. Never has been, never will be," he said.  

"You're required to put your body on the line like everybody else, you're required to compete like everybody else. No matter the age profile, there's a certain level of expectation about the contest.”

“That's the brutality of AFL football."