BRISBANE Lions great Jonathan Brown has launched an extraordinary attack on his former club, saying the Lions are "dysfunctional" and must quickly address their lack of trust at board level.

Lions coach Justin Leppitsch, 40, was released from the final year of his contract following a secret ballot at Monday morning's board meeting.

Brown, who won three premierships with Leppitsch, said the lack of unity among the Lions' board of directors had filtered through the club.

"There is obviously a fair bit of distrust (at board level) and in the football department as well, so it's a big operation going forward," Brown told Fox Footy on Monday night, citing recent reports about leaks coming from the board.

"If (Lions deputy chairman) Leigh Matthews is concerned about the leak at board level, there definitely has to be changes … because we know you need unity at the top of the football club and then that will permeate down throughout the football club. 

"The football department has got problems there. They are not united, the playing group are not on board with some of the off-field stuff so this needs to be completely tidied up.

"It is dysfunctional, unfortunately, at the moment and it really hurts me to say this as an ex-player." 

Lions chief executive Greg Swann said the club was now on the hunt to find the best available coach to succeed Leppitsch. 

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He added the Lions would also appoint a head of football to oversee the rebuild.

Brown said the first objective of the new coach would be to "get everyone united again", beginning at board level.

"(My) gut feel is an experienced person, I don't think necessarily he has to have coached senior AFL football," Brown said when asked who the Lions should target.

"Get that unity in the football department between the players (and) between the staff, that's critically important and that is going to take a big job."