The embattled leader was one of four out-of-contract AFL coaches before he was given the one-year extension, taking him beyond 2016.

Brisbane has been hit by injuries and only percentage kept them from finishing the season on the bottom of the ladder at the end of 2015.

The club wanted to avoid rumours and speculation about Leppitsch's future as the season got under way.

Once a Lions player himself, Leppitsch spent time as an assistant coach at Richmond before returning to Brisbane.

Captain Tom Rockliff told SEN radio that Leppitsch had his support.

"He believes in the direction we're heading as a group, he knows we had to bottom out to improve," he said on Wednesday morning.

Brisbane is also planning to offer youngster Josh Schache a five-year contract, even though he has not yet played an AFL game.

Schache was the second draft pick overall last year and Rockliff said he was among the best 18-year-olds he had ever seen.

"If you had been up here on Friday and seen our trial match, I would have given him a 15-year contract," Rockliff said.

"He was doing numbers on Daniel Merrett and Harris Andrews, who was outstanding for us last year.

"He's only an 18-year-old, but it's going to be so good to watch him when he's a 23, 24-year-old."

With AAP