Brisbane are hopeful of regaining skipper Justin Hodges and forward Adam Blair from injury for Friday night’s NRL home clash with the Sydney Roosters.
Equal top of the ladder after five rounds, the Broncos will wait on fitness tests on the pair later in the week.
Blair is battling a corked thigh and was unsighted at training on Monday morning while Hodges completed a light session – his first since suffering a minor hamstring tear in New Zealand a week ago.
Of the two, Blair is considered the more likely to play.
Fullback Jordan Kahu, who injured his hamstring before Brisbane’s derby win over Gold Coast Titans on Friday night, has already been ruled out.
Broncos halfback Ben Hunt backed the team’s depth to keep their four-match winning streak rolling with or without Hodges and Blair.
“They’re working as best they can to get back and we’ll see how we go at the end of the week,” Hunt said.
“(But) the boys that came in on the weekend for the injured players did a good job for us.”
Kahu’s confirmed absence means another start at fullback for Lachlan Maranta, who was shuffled into the No.1 jersey against the Titans.
It was only the second time Maranta had played as custodian in his senior career but he acquitted himself well, and said he was excited to get another opportunity.
“Obviously it was disappointing to see Jordy go down…I think I was lucky I did have some (junior) experience there otherwise I was going in sort of not knowing what was going to happen,” said Maranta.
Maranta will get an up-close look at one of the NRL’s form fullbacks on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.
Roosters star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was sensational in a losing side against Cronulla on Sunday, crossing for a second-half try that left his opposite number at the Broncos in awe.
“I sat there and rewound it and you sort of think I wouldn’t mind doing something like that,” Maranta said.
“Roger’s a fantastic player. He’s represented his country and he’s been doing that now consistently.
“That’s why he’s got the reputation of being a freak.”
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