Injury-riddled Queensland face the bleak prospect of confronting a hungry, play-off minded Crusaders outfit on Friday without more than half their best team.

Reds coach Phil Mooney is desperately hoping for a major reversal in fortunes heading into their Christchurch trip after a dreadful injury crisis rubbed salt into their wounds from a 52-13 caning by the Brumbies.

Not only are six players in serious doubt on top of the certain loss of in-form halfback Will Genia, who requires finger surgery in a cruel blow to his rising Test hopes, they are without a doubt the most influential players in the team.

Skipper James Horwill (foot), vice-captain and playmaker Berrick Barnes (groin), dynamic backline stroke weapon Digby Ioane (shoulder), Wallabies winger Peter Hynes (knee), fullback Mark McLinden (knee) and open-side flanker Tasi Luafutu (broken hand) were all struck down on a black night at Suncorp Stadium.

The injuries came on top of the mid-week loss of Wallabies forward Hugh McMeniman for the rest of the season due to ankle surgery, the second flanker to go under the knife in a fortnight after Daniel Braid ruptured his Achilles.

The Reds are most optimistic about the chances of Ioane and Luafutu lining up at AMI Stadium against the defending champions who sit equal fifth and needing wins from the final two rounds to make the semi-finals.

But Mooney admitted he would have to look outside his squad to Brisbane club rugby for forwards and backs reinforcements, which could possibly include retired Reds veteran David Croft.

Horwill and McLinden require scans while Hynes has fluid on his knee and will be hard pressed to play another Super 14 match this season.

Key man Barnes, who sustained a grade one adductor strain while kicking in the pre-game warm-up, throwing a major spanner into the Reds' works, will be given a couple of days before medics assess his chances of playing.

Mooney said Test aspirations would be a factor in the 13th-placed side's decision-making at the selection table, denying they would risk potential Wallabies' international seasons.

"If a guy is at risk of a long-term injury we won't expose him to that risk," he said.

Queensland struggled from the outset in both attack and defence without five-eighth Barnes, missing his organisation as much as his classy kicking, passing and courageous defence.

"He's so integral to our team and the great thing about Berrick that I've always liked is he does a lot of things that people don't see," Mooney said. "It's probably accentuated when he's not there, like (Saturday night)."

Mooney admitted reserve halfback Ben Lucas may be an option at flyhalf as a second ball-player to the erratic Quade Cooper, with Brendan McKibbin a possible replacement for the unlucky Genia.

The 21-year-old, who scored two solo tries either side of half-time to put the Reds back into the game at 24-13 down, has been the form scrum-half in the country along with Josh Valentine.

"Willie Genia was head and shoulders above the rest of the guys," Mooney said.

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