The powerful centre half forward was unveiled as the Lions' sole leader, with new coach Michael Voss continuing his extreme makeover of the football club by dispensing with the controversial co-captain system favoured in Leigh Matthews' closing years.

In place of fellow co-captains Simon Black and Luke Power, Brown now stands alone - although one of that pair could be named his deputy closer to the start of next season.

However, what began as a press conference confirming Brown's appointment soon turned to the wider issue of player behaviour, with Voss and Brown revealing a new standard of "benchmarks" set by the playing group and coaching staff as the first day of pre-season training began.

While the Lions haven't escaped off-field controversy - utility defender Joel Macdonald was fined for his involvement in a Valley brawl last month - the move was no doubt prompted by the battering taken by the Broncos over recent weeks.

The behavioural standard and code is more of an informal agreement than a dictate from management, yet Voss and Brown made it exceedingly clear every member of the playing list is expected to represent the club's interests on and off the field - at any time of the day or night.

"By setting those expectations at the start, some of that is about how you're going to conduct yourself outside these walls. We'll be measured by those. Your role doesn't finish here," Voss said.

"It's in the fine print. It's one of those unwritten rules that exist by being a representative of our football club.

"That means you wear that badge - even though you don't have a shirt that says Brisbane Lions on it - you wear that badge everywhere. That's something you carry and something the players should be extremely proud of.

"To be a part of this football club is indeed an honour and we need to treat it that way more often."

Voss, who enjoyed a career in the media after retiring from his triple-premiership tenure at the Lions, made no excuses for the saturation coverage of modern footballers, saying it was a "good thing" that provided opportunities and was an unchangeable fact of life.

"We know the world we live in. You can fight it as much as you like, you can argue with it, you can be disappointed about it but the reality is it's there," Voss said.

"There is saturation of media like never before. It's a fact of life and it's a good thing too.

"The opportunity that some of these guys have, the reason why there is opportunity is because of what exists. Browny lives that standard. He lives that very very well and that's why he's the captain of our club.

"It's a brand. When people see Jonathan Brown, they associate him with the Brisbane Lions. It's part of the branding of who you become.

"When you walk out, whether it's 2am in the morning or 12 o'clock in the afternoon, you still carry that Brisbane Lions brand with you wherever you go."

Brown, who married long-time girlfriend Kylie Adams over the weekend and will jet off for a US honeymoon this week before joining his team, said the new standards were a continuation of the expectations put in place by Voss and co. during the heady glow of Brisbane's premiership years.

"I think Vossy and the leadership group back in the premiership years put in some very good standards and we've been able to carry that through. I don't think any sporting club in Australia can say they've been a pack of angels but I think our brand, the players have been very conscious of that," Brown said.

"Over the last couple of years the playing group has already been pretty strong on player discipline and those sorts of issues. We don't have to put a whole new code in place."

Voss said Black and Power were understandably disappointed when told the news of the single captaincy model but both players fully supported Brown's appointment and continue a senior role at the club.

Brown said he would lead by actions rather than words and would let his deeds on the field inspire his team, not locker room rants.

"I've always tried to lead the guys within the locker room the best that I can, without trying to be too overpowering or overbearing. I think we place too much importance on words and ... all this rah-rah in front of the playing group. I don't really see any need for that," he said.