By Michael Whiting

Gold Coast SUNS coast midfielder Michael Rischitelli believes a lack of respect for their opposition lead to Brisbane's shock round seven loss to the GC SUNS.

While keeping relatively tight-lipped on Saturday night's second clash in Brisbane, Rischitelli was pointed when asked whether he thought the Lions respected them.

"Probably not early, but I suppose we've got one over them so they'll be a bit more respectful now," he said.

Prior to the May 7 match-up, Rischitelli was at the centre of a verbal storm when Lions' Brownlow medallist Simon Black called he and Jared Brennan mercenaries for leaving Brisbane.

Rischitelli said it didn't bother him, although he had noticed a distinctly quieter build-up this week.

"He's (Black) been a bit quiet, there's been nothing said in the paper this week ironically," Rischitelli said.

"It's been quiet this week. Obviously he's a good player so we'll have to go about doing our thing."

The 2010 Lions best and fairest left the club at the end of last season after being unhappy at being used as trade bait 12 months earlier, but said playing the Lions meant nothing extra to him.

"Not in particular. It's just another game," he said. "I think it's still a big occasion. We've had a big last month but it's just another game that we're going to try and get the four points and hopefully we can do that.

"It was a good feeling to beat the Lions but in saying that AFL is every week and a different side and we come up against them this week and we'll be going in there to win.

"[The] boys are up for every week but because it's a Queensland rivalry, the boys might find a little more in the tank."

After successfully completing training on Wednesday, captain Gary Ablett is expected to return to the team after missing last week's match against Geelong with a hamstring injury.