The Brisbane Lions look set to invest more heavily in its football operations next year in a bid to help bridge the gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

The Lions have endured substantial operating losses in recent years due to a range of different factors, which has forced the Club to be more frugal with its spending.

Meanwhile, the more powerful AFL clubs have had considerable growth, particularly in their football departments, over the same period.

The Lions ranked in the bottom five in terms of football department expenditure, and are severely under-resourced compared to some of the ‘richer’ clubs.

Essendon and Collingwood, for example, boast almost twice the amount of full-time coaches that is currently employed at the Hyundai Centre.

The Courier Mail reported on Wednesday that Lions plan on taking a further step towards off-field equality by increasing their football expenditure by more than $1.5 million and implementing a new development program in 2014.

Lions Chairman Angus Johnson confirmed that more funds would be allocated to the Club’s football operations next season.

"Yes, we are looking to increase our spending on the football department,'' Johnson told The Courier Mail.

"Our particular focus will be on development.

"There is no doubt we don't have the resources in that area that other clubs do and we are determined to bring ourselves up to AFL standard.''