Brisbane are confident youngster Herbie Farnworth will be fit for round one of the NRL season despite having to undergo surgery.
The Englishman has been suffering discomfort in a small area of tissue on his chest and has been advised to have it removed.
The 21-year-old is expected to return to training next week but will sit out the trial match against North Queensland at Redcliffe's Dolphin Stadium on February 27.
The club said in a brief statement they expected the outside back to be available for their season-opener against Parramatta on March 12.
It continues a disrupted pre-season for Farnworth, who had to train in isolation while visiting friends and family in his native England and then had to go into a 14-day hotel quarantine period upon his return to Australia.
Farnworth, who scored six tries in 19 appearances for the Broncos last season, re-joined the squad in mid-January after completing his quarantine.
Meanwhile, rising Canterbury star Jake Averillo will miss the Bulldogs' only trial match against Cronulla due to an elbow injury.
The outside back suffered a low-grade MCL injury in training, but is expected to be fit for the club's first-round clash with Newcastle on March 12.
