Test forward Sam Thaiday hopes his shift back to Brisbane's front row is only temporary but says he'll do what his coach wants.

Thaiday is not overly excited at being pushed up into the front row for Saturday night's final pre-season NRL trial against Queensland Cup side Redcliffe.

But he realises coach Ivan Henjak is trying to find the best forward pack for the club's NRL season opener against the Cowboys on March 12.

Thaiday, who played front row earlier in his career, has made his mark playing on the edge in the backrow in recent seasons.

But Henjak wants to see him and Nick Kenny combine up front and take a look at skilful rookie Matt Gillett, who gets a big opportunity with a start in the second row.

"I'll have to do what the coach tells me to do. If he wants me to play in the front row, I'll be playing in the front row," said a reluctant Thaiday.

"It's a lot of hard work playing in the middle.

"You have to do a lot more tackling and a lot more running, but whatever is good for the team.

"If it has to be done, it has to be done."

Henjak, who still hasn't settled on his starting pack or his bench, spoke to Thaiday last week about moving back to prop.

"I said to Ivan, `whatever's best for the team, you make the decision and I'll run with it'," Thaiday said.

"I'm probably there for a little while until some of the younger players are more confident."

Thaiday, who has been effective for Brisbane, Queensland and Australia since being switched out wider, still plans to get on the edges whenever he can.

"I'm not that silly, I do like to run at smaller people out wide," he laughed.

"I should still get the opportunity to do those things in the game, I don't think I'll have to change too much.

"It's still all about defending and attacking as best you can and I'll still be tackling hard and running hard whether I'm playing in the middle or out wide."

Thaiday loves the heavy collisions and contact side of what he calls "bone on bone" defence.

The prospect of taking a battering playing up front doesn't worry him, nor does finishing his career with cauliflower ears.

"I'm not here to win beauty pageants," he said.

"If I get bashed around a bit, I get bashed around a bit."

Brisbane will welcome back halves Darren Lockyer (bicep) and halfback Peter Wallace (hamstring) for their first appearance of the season on Saturday.

"Locky and Wal will be back and Ivan will want them to get some time together before the our first game (Cowboys)," Thaiday said.

"When they are going well along with our fullback and dummy half, everyone feeds off them.

"It's the first time they've played this year, but they've still got the connections from previous years and there's no dramas."

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