Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns all struggled as Queensland limped to a first-innings total of 166 after day one of their pink-ball Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria.
The trio were the first three batsmen to fall at the Gabba on Thursday, failing to advance their respective claims for selection for next month's Ashes opener in Brisbane.
But the Bushrangers faltered late on a rain-interrupted first day, and were 3-43 at stumps after losing openers Travis Dean (13) and Marcus Harris (10) plus nightwatchman Peter Siddle (3) cheaply.
Queensland's debutant paceman Brendan Doggett - the state's first Indigenous player since 1983 - dismissed both Dean and Harris under lights, the pair becoming his first scalps in Shield cricket.
Test duo Peter Handscomb (7 not out) and Glenn Maxwell (6 no) will be at the crease for Victoria when play resumes on Friday afternoon.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Skipper Khawaja (40) top-scored for Queensland, after winning the toss and choosing to bat first, but fell some way short of the big innings he needed to kick-start his Test selection push.
Burns (3) and Renshaw (17), meanwhile, never found their groove.
It wasn't easy going on a tricky green-tinged wicket but Burns lasted just 12 deliveries before he edged a tentative shot towards Peter Handscomb.
It continues his poor run in the Shield against Victoria, with only two double-digit scores in his last 10 innings against the reigning champions.
Renshaw went in similar fashion, flicking a catch straight down Aaron Finch's throat at third slip to fall for 17.
It was the last thing the towering 21-year-old needed amid talk his spot in the Test team could be at risk, despite averaging 36.64 across his 10 matches for Australia since his debut last year.
Australian bowling coach David Saker suggested on Wednesday that Renshaw's position could be in jeopardy if he struggled and his competitors found form at domestic level.
Khawaja, 30, looked very comfortable and hit seven boundaries but wasted his good start, taking a swipe at Fawad Ahmed's bowling but edging it to Handscomb instead.
That wicket halted all of Queensland's momentum, with their next five wickets going for only 33 runs.
But the Bulls padded out their total courtesy of a career-high first-class score of 29 from spinner Mitch Swepson, which included three boundaries and one six, along with a handy contribution from Luke Feldman (16 not out).
Scott Boland (4-43) and Chris Tremain (4-36) did the brunt of the damage for the visitors while spinner Ahmed bagged two wickets.
