Brisbane confident Moga has changed luck

Brisbane are confident injury-ravaged centre Tautau Moga has reversed his fortunes despite suffering a health scare ahead of Friday's NRL derby.

Tautau Moga

Brisbane are confident injury-ravaged centre Tautau Moga has reversed his fortunes. (AAP)

Tautau Moga has never been short of luck.

Unfortunately all of it has been bad.

Very bad.

But Brisbane are confident the injury-plagued centre has finally reversed his fortunes, downplaying a health scare ahead of Friday night's NRL clash against his former club North Queensland.

Nothing could stop the barnstorming Moga from lining up against ex-club the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium.

Or so it seemed.

Moga was on a collision course with North Queensland after capping a remarkable comeback from three knee reconstructions in four seasons with an impressive Broncos debut last week.

However, Moga again found himself in doubt ahead of the round two NRL derby when he reportedly suffered a heart complaint at Sunday training.

Tom Opacic was believed to be on stand-by.

But Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett gave ex-Samoan international Moga the thumbs up after he trained strongly on Friday.

"It's nothing serious, it's all good now," Bennett said.

Asked if Moga had suffered a heart complaint, Bennett said: "Not really. But he's been cleared by all the tests".

Finally Moga appears ready to overcome his horror luck and start living up to the "next Israel Folau" tag handed to him on NRL debut five years ago at just 18.

He was thrown an NRL lifeline in the off-season after injury ravaged stints at Sydney Roosters (2012-13) and Cowboys (2014-16).

If Cowboys coach Paul Green was nervous about lining up against his former charge, it didn't show.

Instead Green saluted Moga's character.

"I am happy for him considering what he has had to cope with," he said.

"I had a bit to do with him. I coached him at the Roosters under 20s, I recruited him up here.

"Rugby league tests your resilience. That's the challenge - it's good to see him back."


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Source: AAP



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