Working behind a bar serving beers in flood-ravaged Goodna has not stopped former Waratah Beau Robinson resurrecting his Super Rugby career with the Queensland Reds.

In a throwback to rugby's amateur days, Robinson has proven footballers can still mix work and sport by training and playing his way onto the cusp of Reds selection for Sunday's season-opener against the Western Force.

The 24-year-old flanker is well and truly in the mix as a bolter to fill All Black Daniel Braid's boots at No.7 by thoroughly impressing his old NSW coach Ewen McKenzie.

McKenzie will name his Queensland side on Thursday with the ball-scavenging role, opposing Wallabies star David Pocock, the most intriguing selection.

Robinson, hemmed in behind Phil Waugh for four seasons at the Waratahs, took the gamble to move from Sydney to Brisbane late last year despite missing a contract.

All he was guaranteed was being a part of the Reds wider training squad and a job, at Goodna's Irish Heart Hotel in Ipswich, and a house through playing for local club Souths.

But it was a flimsy lifeline he felt he had to grab to prolong his career.

"If I had one more year in club football I would probably be on the scrapheap," Robinson told AAP.

"The fact there wasn't an established No.7 here with the departure of Braidy is why I wanted to go up and try my hand."

Robinson, who returned to Sydney club Warringah last year following a brief stint in Italy, admitted it was difficult to juggle his pub work of 20-25 hours per week with slogging it out at Ballymore.

And making it a little harder was the Irish Heart was lucky to escape flood waters.

"They were the only ones (in the area) that did so business is booming," Robinson said. "It's flat-out."

A cagey McKenzie has kept his cards close to his chest with a number of unsettled Reds positions, but admitted Robinson had shown he deserved to be strongly considered for an open-side spot that has six different options.

"There's no real surprise there from my point of view," the coach said. "He's played a fair bit of Super rugby ... and has the attitude and experience.

"He's been trying to make the most of his opportunity. He certainly hasn't been given a rails-run."

Not spoilt for choice in candidates to replace Braid who returned to Auckland with the Blues, the Reds also have two more ex-Waratahs in Lei Tomiki and Ben Coridas, as well as young local products Ed Quirk, Gill and Jake Schatz in the mix.

There's also good depth among the Reds tall timber which will help in covering the expected loss of Radike Samo this weekend due to a middle finger injury.

Hooker Saia Faingaa has also been sidelined by a leg problem since the 38-5 trial win over the Brumbies but is expected to return to training on Tuesday.

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