The Kangaroos, once again firmly in the finals hunt, will head to the Gabba as favourites against the bottom-placed Brisbane Lions on Saturday night in what promises to be an emotional clash as Harvey becomes only the fourth man in VFL-AFL history to notch 400 matches.

However, the Kangaroos have not prevailed in Brisbane since round 10, 2005 – when their coach Brad Scott was still patrolling the Lions' half-back line.

Thanks to five goals from Nathan Thompson, three to Shannon Grant and two to Harvey, who also had 24 disposals, with Troy Makepeace enjoying 28 possessions, the Kangaroos prevailed by 19 points that day against a triple-premiership side which, after making the 2004 grand final, had fallen into decline.

However, the Roos have dropped their past six at the venue, including a four-point loss in round 15 last year.

The emotion around this latest fixture will surely lift the Kangaroos. While the timing may be slightly unfortunate, in that the celebration will be held outside Victoria, Harvey will have plenty of support. He has asked for about 60 tickets for family and friends, while his immediate family will be in the dressingroom when his father, Neil, hands over his son's guernsey for the occasion.

There will even be special treatment for Harvey during the trip north, with Virgin Australia – the AFL's official airline partner – seating him in business class.

The three men Harvey joins in the 400 club – Kevin Bartlett, Michael Tuck and Dustin Fletcher – will honour their comrade at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Lions have been one of the great disappointments of the season, and that continued in a four-goal loss to Melbourne on Sunday, when they managed just the four majors.

They have averaged only 66.3 points this season, compared to the league average of 85.3, and have scored 90 points or more only once. They have failed to reach 50 points on three occasions.

The Roos, though, were less than convincing in a 25-point win over Essendon on Friday night, with Scott working to induce a more even contribution from his players.

Harvey found himself a victim of this ethos when he began the clash against Geelong as the substitute, but he rebounded when unleashed in the final term, and when he started on the field a week later against the Bombers.

Scott has said he now conducts Harvey's weekly match review personally, rather than leave it to his assistants, and Monday's rewind was expected to be a favourable one after the playmaking half-forward had 34 disposals.

"He can't continue to carry the team on his shoulder alone and we can't continue to be a team that relies on him getting us over the line. The opposition still put a hell of a lot of work into him. We need him to play a slightly different role, albeit just as valuable," Scott said over the weekend.

One man pushing to play in the milestone clash is Robin Nahas, who booted three goals in the VFL for North Ballarat and was among the best players. Nahas had withdrawn from the round-15 clash against Geelong because of hamstring soreness. Fellow small forward Lindsay Thomas booted two goals in the VFL and was also named among the best.

The Roos may have two forced changes, with Jamie Macmillan definitely out with a hamstring strain, and Aaron Mullett battling a similar problem.

"I'd love to play for Boomer's 400th," Nahas told the club's website.

"He's taught me a lot in the year and a half I've been at the club. To play in his milestone game would be something I'd hold close to me and look back at after the end of my career. But the motivation just to get back in the ones, when it feels like we're starting to get some momentum, is a big factor."