AS THE season wears on and teams begin to fall out of finals contention, they must find other ways to give their supporters hope and belief for the future.

The Brisbane Lions have struggled all year to find consistent form, with a facial injury sustained by Jonathan Brown in round one against Fremantle robbing the side of its captain for six matches.

They've won just three games for the season, with Saturday's 42-point loss to Hawthorn their 12th defeat for the season.

But Michael Voss has shown just where his thinking is this year by playing 10 debutants across the Lions' 15 games - the most recent being Irishman Niall McKeever last weekend against Port Adelaide.

The Lions' ninth first gamer - former Oakleigh Charger Patrick Karnezis - has proved to be one of the more exciting key position finds of the season since he burst onto the scene as a substitute player in round 13 against Richmond, and used his first two kicks in AFL football to nail goals.

He then kicked one goal the following week against Fremantle and two against Port Adelaide in round 15.

Then on Saturday in Launceston, he kicked two, one a composed set shot after the three-quarter time siren (the kick the result of an impressive diving mark) and kept the Lions within 15 points of Hawthorn .

"When you see a brigade that goes out there and they're able to step up to the plate and sink one like that then it's always good to be able to see," coach Michael Voss said after the game.

"As a coach that gives you plenty of heart, that's for sure."

With Josh Gibson playing exceptionally well against Brown, and Grant Birchall, Shaun Burgoyne and Matt Suckling holding ground in the backline, it was a tough day out for the Lions' forwards. They also had to contend with a loose man in defence for much of Saturday's game

Still, the 19-year-old veteran of four games found a way through and didn't get overawed or swamped by the pressure of the Hawks' pressing backs.

He had nine touches for the day - eight kicks and one hand pass - but he also took five marks, laid two tackles and kicked 2.3.

After the game, Voss said he was encouraged by Karnezis' performance and was excited by the idea of him eventually finding his way into the midfield.

"I think he also has capability to play up the ground but he's finding his way in the AFL and you always like to see how they go against good defences," he said.

"When you get a bit of a benchmark on what's their upside and playing against good opposition and against good defenders, he was able to find holes inside 50m, which is pleasing for him."

It hasn't just been Karnezis' start to his AFL career that has people talking, either.

Fox Sports commentator Tony Shaw revealed after Karnezis' first goal late in the first quarter that Brown had recently told him that Karnezis had taken Daniel Merrett and Joel Patfull "to the cleaners" in one-on-one work during the pre-season.

Last week, Voss said he enjoyed watching his young charge, who the Lions recruited with pick No.125 overall in last year's NAB AFL Draft, and he was likely to "very quickly become one of the coach's favourites".

"I don't think he'll like me saying that because the boys will be on to him now, but he'll have to live with it," he said on Monday.

Such is the promise of the North Balwyn lad and after his encouraging performance on Saturday, Voss was asked about him again post-match - and was loath to elaborate after he "copped a bit of heat" from his teammates following glowing praise.

Still, the Lions will all have to get used to Karnezis getting attention if he continues to show such improvement after arriving at the club last year a skinny, raw 18-year-old.