St George Illawarra lock Dean Young has backed five-eighth Jamie Soward to handle the playmaking load if skipper Ben Hornby fails to recover in time for Friday night's NRL blockbuster against Parramatta.

Hornby has been struck down by an infected wisdom tooth and is in some doubt to take on the Eels in the season-opener at Parramatta Stadium.

Nathan Fien will move from hooker to halfback if Hornby is ruled out, but it will be Soward, the reigning Dally M five-eighth of the year - who will take over much of the attacking responsibility.

Young denied Soward - who signed a new three-year deal with the club this week - would be under any more pressure to perform.

"What's pressure? Everyone's under pressure ... it just comes with the game," Young said.

"He's under no more pressure than what I am or Benny Hornby is, Ben Creagh or any of us.

"(Soward will) be the key like he was last year - he had a wonderful year last year and the challenge now is for him to back it up and I'm sure he will.

"His confidence is high and he's a hell of a player - I know all the boys are looking forward to playing with him."

In Friday night's other game, Brisbane will unveil three debutants against North Queensland, with forwards Matt Gillett and Mitchell Dodds and fullback Corey Norman all lining up for their first game in the NRL.

Norman in particular could be in for a tough night at what will be a near-capacity Suncorp Stadium, with Cowboys and Test halfback Johnathan Thurston sure to test out the 18-year-old with his varied kicking game.

But Broncos coach Ivan Henjak said all the pressure was on the Cowboys to perform.

"They've made no secret of the fact they want to make the finals series this year," Henjak said of the Cowboys.

"They feel like they've under-achieved .... I don't need to tell them that, they've made that statement themselves.

"I'm sure they're looking for a big year and they have got a good roster and some big game players.

"There shouldn't be any reason why they're aren't up in the top eight, and contesting maybe a top four position.

"I'm sure they're going to try and send a message in their first game of the year just as we are."

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