Undermanned Queensland will adopt a high-risk 'run-and-gun' approach in an attempt to score a huge Super 14 upset over the Bulls and bury their Pretoria demons.

Missing three of their biggest forward enforcers against the most intimidating pack in the competition, Reds coach Phil Mooney has struck a game plan to run the home side into the ground at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday morning (AEDT).

Mooney has admitted his young team must constantly move the Bulls behemoths around the field to make the red-hot favourites vulnerable.

He concedes it will be far easier said than done, but has faith in maturing five-eighth Quade Cooper to immediately show his Wallabies-enhanced development by pulling the right strings with both pass and kick.

Cooper and his playmaking partner, skipper Berrick Barnes, hold the key for the Reds on their first visit back to Pretoria since their record 92-3 humiliation in 2007, which ultimately proved Eddie Jones' death knell as coach.

Only five Queensland players remain from the 13-try debacle and Mooney has insisted the Reds have left their "cricket gear behind" for the season-opener.

The second-year coach admitted his men face a "massive challenge" but would borrow from their successful attacking strategy against the Bulls last year, when Cooper starred in a 40-8 boilover at Suncorp Stadium.

"Yeah, we certainly have to be pretty strategic in what we do. Last year at Suncorp we did prove if we can execute a certain style of game well they're vulnerable," Mooney told AAP.

"We basically have to be strategic with the way we play and now the challenge is executing that strategy."

An accurate and long kicking game will be as important to precision in attack as the Reds try to probe wide, with the Bulls plans built on a powerful scrum and a superb line-out, led by inspirational Springbok lock Victor Matfield.

Technician Matfield, with Bakkies Botha and Pierre Spies, will spy a major opportunity to dismantle the Reds set piece with Wallabies locks James Horwill and Hugh McMeniman, plus NZ recruit Ezra Taylor, all sidelined.

"The way they try to beat you is they try and play field position and then if your kicking game is not great they have those big forwards who can rumble through you," Mooney said.

"So the kicking game is vital really."

Cooper has shown good signs he's learnt from his Wallabies call-up which produced a match-winning try on Test debut in Italy, three caps and priceless time under Robbie Deans' tutelage.

"He's a far better player now than he was 12 months ago but the reality is he's still only 20 years old, so he's a long way being the finished product," Mooney said.

"It's a big challenge for him, as a playmaker these are the sort of games you look forward to.

"The whole game execution depends on how well you play.

"One thing you can say about Quade is he certainly doesn't shy away from a challenge."

Mooney indicated former Canberra Raiders playmaker Mark McLinden would make his debut off the bench at fullback, where Wallabies winger Peter Hynes will start and have a license to attack.

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