Andrew McCullough is confident of making a surprise NRL comeback at Brisbane's next home game, days after scheduled surgery.
McCullough aims to return from a broken thumb three weeks earlier than expected in their round 17 Suncorp Stadium clash with Melbourne on July 1.
The hooker was told he may be sidelined for up to two months when he suffered the fracture in their home loss to Wests Tigers on May 27.
Instead McCullough wants to mark his return against the Storm - days after his final operation to remove pins holding his thumb in place.
He says he will go under the knife on June 27.
"That's the Monday before the Storm game," McCullough told Broncos TV.
"We will reassess it from there but that's the goal.
"I want to get back playing. That is something I pride myself on.
"So that's something I want to do and play in that game."
McCullough astonished teammates in May when he returned from a severe hamstring injury three weeks early.
Brisbane are also hopeful other injury concerns Alex Glenn (shoulder), Jordan Kahu (pectoral) and Jack Reed (shoulder) may play Melbourne.
England international Reed's clean-up surgery on his shoulder last Thursday was successful, the Brisbane website said.
"Broncos' medical staff report the shoulder is structurally sound, with some work done to clean out some of the inflammation that was hampering his joint."
There had been fears for Reed's immediate playing future when the centre was sidelined indefinitely with shoulder soreness he'd been nursing since the pre-season.
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