Brisbane are fully expecting arch-rivals North Queensland to resort to intimidating tactics in Friday night's NRL season-opening blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium.

Brisbane's new-look forward pack has been in the critics' firing line even before a tackle or a hit-up has been made, and coach Ivan Henjak isn't hiding from the possibility the Cowboys' heavyweight pack could try to rough them up.

Henjak, who'll make his senior coaching debut after replacing Wayne Bennett, said the challenge was there for his forwards on Friday night with emotions sure to be fully charged.

"Most games are (rough) at this time of the year, they've got a fair few emotions bottled up for a fair period of time over the pre-season, so they'll be raring to go ... but we will be too," Henjak said.

"I'll be very surprised if we're not very physical either in the beginning of the game."

Former Brisbane halfback Allan Langer knows the importance of Brisbane's pack firing.

"The critics should wait and see but the pressure is on the forwards to get it done," said Langer, one of the few halves who could work behind a beaten pack.

"Everyone is talking about our million-dollar backline but it's nothing without your forwards going forward.

"They have to create the platform and I'm sure they'll respond to the pressure."

Henjak, who is expecting his own emotions to come through, was confident the occasion would not get to his players, including young wingers Jharal Yow Yeh and Antonio Winterstein.

"They're not going to be overawed," he said.

"It's a big occasion, if they can't get up for this game they probably never well.

"It'll be a big crowd, great atmosphere playing against a quality team and I know the young fellas want to test themselves."

Henjak has been able to offset some of the backline inexperience by drafting centre Steve Michaels into the side after he passed a fitness test on his fractured wrist at training on Thursday.

Michaels, who's had his fair share of setbacks including a knee reconstruction and broken wrist, comes into the centres with boom buy Israel Folau, nudging 20-year-old Alex Glenn onto the bench.

"There's probably not a lot of experience in our outside backs and Stevie has played somewhere close to 40 games, so it's a bit of a bonus for us," Henjak said.

"Just his enthusiasm and keenness to get back ... He's had some difficulties in the last few years and he's jumping out of his skin to get another crack."

Reports that Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen has returned from knee surgery as good as ever have Brisbane on high alert but Henjak said there was little anyone could do against players of Bowen's class.

"You never nullify him, you just try and limit the damage," said Henjak.

"We've talked about how we're going to handle a few of their players, but it's not always that simple, you have to go out and execute.

"They've got to deal with us as well don't forget."

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