An SOS will be sent to Alex Glenn after Brisbane's forward stocks took another hit with boom prop Payne Haas having season-ending shoulder surgery.
Brisbane are sweating on Kiwi international Glenn returning two weeks early from a knee injury after confirming 18-year-old Haas had undergone shoulder reconstruction and would not be sighted again until the 2019 pre-season.
Haas joins Test backrower Matt Gillett (neck) and prop Korbin Sims (jaw) on the sidelines while lock Josh McGuire is trying to overcome an ankle injury and play for Queensland in Wednesday's State of Origin opener.
After an NRL debut against South Sydney that promised so much six weeks ago, Haas' season is already over with just three games to his name.
He injured his shoulder in Brisbane's round-12 loss to Manly three weeks ago.
"That (shoulder reconstruction) is a six-month recovery but he will be back in time for the start of the pre-season," Broncos high performance boss Jeremy Hickmans said of Haas.
The outlook is much better for Glenn.
The back-rower is eyeing a return a fortnight early in their NRL clash in Melbourne next week after their Origin bye.
He had been ruled out for up to six weeks with the knee medial ligament injury suffered against Manly.
Glenn took a step closer to a Melbourne return after running strongly twice this week.
"Alex is ticking all the boxes," said Hickmans.
"He will be back to skills with the main group next week with the aim of getting ready to play against Melbourne."
Ninth-placed Brisbane will welcome back Glenn after the controversial Matt Lodge, Tevita Pangai and youngsters Joe Ofahengaue and Jaydn Su'A had carried the injury-ravaged Broncos pack.
Ofahengaue and Su'A have been so impressive that they were among the six development players invited to take part in Queensland's Origin I camp on the Gold Coast this week.
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