Former NRL referee Tim Mander will take on Lawrence Springborg in a bid to become Queensland's opposition leader.
Mr Mander on Wednesday night announced his resignation as the opposition's education and training spokesman to run against Mr Springborg in the Liberal National Party's leadership spill on Friday.
Mr Springborg less than 10 hours earlier brought destabilising leadership tensions to a head after days of speculation by moving a party room meeting from Monday to Friday.
Former deputy premier Jeff Seeney was then quick to indicate he would move a motion to spill the positions of Mr Springborg and deputy John Paul Langbroek.
Mr Springborg also said it was important to bring the meeting forward, given state parliament will sit next week and a federal election will likely be called over the weekend.
Mr Mander, who served as sports and then housing minister in the Newman government, was the first LNP MP to show their hand, but another Brisbane-based Tim, former treasurer Tim Nicholls, is also tipped to throw his hat in the ring.
In an email, the former State of Origin referee and Scripture Union boss says he can bring a fresh approach to the LNP to offer a "credible, alternative government" after 15 months in opposition in a hung parliament.
"We have now moved into a different phase in the election cycle," he wrote.
"Everywhere I go, right throughout Queensland, the general public and party members tell me the LNP needs fresh faces for a fresh start with new ideas.
"Steady as she goes won't win us government."
His comments are a direct shot at Mr Springborg and his leadership style.
A three-time former opposition leader, the former National Party stalwart had been seen as the safe move to stabilise the party following the shock loss under Campbell Newman in 2015.
Mr Mander was one of four other MPs who nominated for the leadership role after Annastacia Palaszczuk led Labor to their unlikely election victory.
There have been rumblings about Mr Springborg's leadership for the past nine months, largely due to the LNP's inability to expose the minority Labor government.
Griffith University political scientist Paul Williams told the ABC Mr Springborg has too often failed to put Labor under pressure.
"That's why I think his party is exasperated with him," he said.
"There is a lot of Achilles heels on the Labor frontbench and a lot of Achilles heels on the Labor agenda and the LNP doesn't appear to be taking advantage of too many of them."
A Morgan poll conducted in March showed Ms Palaszczuk had the support of 63.5 per cent of Queenslanders, compared to Mr Springborg's 36.5 per cent.
The premier has pounced on the internal problems within the LNP.
Speaking at a caucus retreat north of Brisbane, she said the opposition's naval gazing was "not good enough".
"They are divided, they are not focused and we are focused on getting jobs for Queensland," she said.
