Broncos hope to have stars fit for
finals

Petero Civoniceva reckons Brisbane skipper Darren Lockyer is ready to tear into the NRL finals following a three-week stint on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Queensland fans have missed out on a mouth-watering Broncos-Cowboys showdown in round one of the qualifying finals with Brisbane (3rd) shaping up against Melbourne (6th) at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night and North Queensland (5th) doing battle with West Tigers at Telstra Stadium the previous night.

Brisbane goes into the finals on the back of five straight losses but not down on confidence having played well in recent weeks against heavyweights St George Illawarra and Parramatta without a number of its stars.

This week the Broncos are poised to welcome back the cavalry, led by Lockyer whom Civoniceva believes can reap the rewards from sitting out Friday night's 28-14 loss to minor premier Parramatta.

"Locky might have been a chance to play against Parramatta but it was a smart thing resting him for another week," said Civoniceva.

"His training last week was unbelievable - I haven't seen that for a while," declared the veteran prop.

"We know he can't do it all.

"But he's really fresh and really keen play well in these next few weeks which is a great sign for us."

Lockyer (hamstring), Dane Carlaw (shoulder/chest), Corey Parker (finger) and Berrick Barnes (concussion) and possibly Casey McGuire (hamstring) are expected to be available.

But centre Justin Hodges looked a dejected figure after a late training mishap which has put his comeback plans in doubt.

Hodges, who suffered a mystifying knee injury against the Sharks last month, was downcast as he limped into the Broncos dressing room with team physiotherapist Rob Goldbolt.

The extent of Hodges' injury and whether it delays his finals' comeback will be clearer later in the week although Brisbane officials did not seemed overly concerned.

Brisbane is well equipped in the centres with internationals Brent Tate and Shaun Berrigan, but a fit Hodges would probably push Tate out to the wing.

Civoniceva said Sam Thaiday's tearaway performance against the Eels at the weekend proved what a talent he was.

Thaiday, 20, produced his best game for the club, scoring a great try, busting the line several times and making some huge tackles in an eye-catching game.

"He's impressed from the first time I saw him turn up at training," said Civoniceva.

"He's very dynamic, very explosive.

"He's been doing a good job off the bench and in the future I can't wait to see him because he's definitely a leader of the pack.

"For a young guy, he's really got a good head on his shoulders."