When your defensive record is as poor as Brisbane's, pitching NRL rookie Selwyn Cobbo against South Sydney's Alex Johnston appears a recipe for disaster.
Johnston has scored back-to-back hat-tricks for the Rabbitohs to take his tally to 15 tries this season and poses an ominous threat to a Broncos' team that has conceded a league-high 436 points in 2021.
Standing directly opposite Johnston will be third-gamer Cobbo who is 120 tries behind Johnston in his NRL career after opening his first-grade account last weekend against Canberra.
Broncos coach Kevin Walters said stopping Souths' lethal left-edge will come to more than just Cobbo's efforts.
"It's not just young Selwyn's job to do that ... it's that whole right edge that are up against a very good attacking side," Walters said.
"They need to work together to solve the problems rather than putting all the pressure on Selwyn."
Queensland State of Origin winger Xavier Coates (hamstring) looks set to play after missing the defeat to the Raiders while Karmichael Hunt will play his first game at Suncorp Stadium for the Broncos since a semi-final win over St George Illawarra in 2009.
Brisbane may have won four of their past five games against the Rabbitohs at home, but Wayne Bennett's team head north averaging 26 points a game and boosted by the return of Origin quartet Dane Gagai, Jai Arrow, Damien Cook and Cameron Murray.
Thursday's game will also be Bennett's 200th as a coach at Suncorp Stadium but Walters said the return of the ex-Brisbane coach won't be a focus for his squad.
"Might be a little bit for Wayne, but certainly not from my point of view," Walters said.
"It's all about us and getting our game in a position where we can win.
"That's what it's about for me."
