Queensland must overcome the unbeaten Sharks without key tight-five figures Van Humphries and Greg Holmes on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.

In a double blow for the Reds, Humphries has been ruled out with a shoulder injury while Holmes is likely to join him on the sidelines with one of his own.

Former Wallabies prop Holmes has been carrying the muscular shoulder problem for the first four rounds of the competition and the Reds are set to give him a two-week break.

The problem was exacerbated in the bruising 15-11 loss to NSW on Friday night, prompting coach Phil Mooney to consider starting 20-year-old Ben Daley against the Durban-based Sharks' all-Springbok front-row.

"Greg has played every minute of our four games to date so we'll probably opt to leave him out for this game so he has this weekend and then the bye a week later to rest and get himself right," Mooney said.

Daley has played just one Super 14 game for the Reds, off the bench against the Crusaders late last season.

With lineout general Humphries out, burly Highlanders recruit Ezra Taylor is in line to make his Queensland debut.

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