Quade Cooper's injury looks set to thrust a little-known rugby league convert into the Super Rugby spotlight.
Reds recruit Duncan Paia'aua is likely to get first crack at Queensland's newly-vacant No.10 jersey for Saturday's pre-season clash against the Melbourne Rebels in Cairns.
Paia'aua switched to the Reds after leading the Brisbane Broncos' under-20s to a Holden Cup grand final appearance last year and has been Cooper's direct understudy throughout pre-season.
With the Wallabies five-eighth now sidelined for three months with a fractured collarbone, opportunity has come knocking for Paia'aua much earlier than anyone at the Reds had anticipated.
But that won't stop coach Richard Graham from throwing the 20-year-old, who has a rugby union background, straight into the deep end.
"For a guy that's been away from the game for the last three years, I rate him very highly," Graham said.
"His ability to go to the line and play the ball late is very good.
"He's learning the game. I think what's important is there's 14 other guys on the field that share the responsibility and help him out."
Graham will name his squad for this weekend's trial on Thursday.
Queensland's other fly-half options are recruits Karmichael Hunt and James O'Connor, but Graham's preference is to keep those two in their preferred positions.
"At the moment the group's got a lot of confidence in Karmichael playing 15, and for me to try and give him some certainty through this pre-season I'll look to keep him there," he said.
"But I'm open-minded.
"If I have to I can play James there as well. I made it clear that I thought James was the world's best winger and I was going to start the season with him on the wing.
"When I said that I didn't think Quade would be out for three months."
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