Sam Thaiday has moved to allay concerns over the fitness of veteran Brisbane captain Darren Lockyer before Friday's NRL clash with the Bulldogs.

Lockyer was absent from Brisbane's training sessions on Monday and Tuesday, but Thaiday said the champion playmaker was entitled to a rest after his outstanding start to the season.

Thaiday said there were no injury concerns surrounding 34-year-old Lockyer and the club's record-breaking captain was merely enjoying a few days off with a hectic representative season of Test and Origin football looming.

"He's a bit tired the old fella, I don't know how old he is," Thaiday said when asked about Lockyer's welfare.

"You have to look after your number one player, he's the skip.

"He's our Lance Armstrong and if he wants to tuck in behind us and ride off our coat tails for a while that's all good."

Thaiday, who will shift back to the second row for the Bulldogs clash at Suncorp Stadium, has his fingers crossed he's done enough to win selection in Australia's Test side to play New Zealand next month either up front or in the back row.

"I've probably had a slower start to this season than I did last year but it (Test) is in the back of my mind," said Thaiday on Tuesday.

"My number one job is Friday night against the Bulldogs and if I play well and the rewards come, great."

Thaiday agreed with teammate Justin Hodges's assessment that this weekend's rival Canterbury would be the toughest test to Brisbane's six game winning streak.

"They're very dangerous, very unpredictable and they play off the cuff," said Thaiday.

"They've been playing some great footy off the back of Micky Ennis, Benny Barba and big Jamal (Idris) carving them up so they're going to be a very hard side to beat.

Thaiday, who doesn't mind the odd sledge, is looking forward to going up against former Broncos teammate Michael Ennis whose ability to put players off their game with his onfield banter is well known by Brisbane's players - and Parramatta captain Nathan Hindmarsh who called him a grub after the pair came to blows earlier this month.

"It's a part of Micky's game, it's a part of a lot of people's game," said Thaiday.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's a bit of fun, a bit of banter, it helps out the rivalry on the field.

"Micky is a very cheeky player, it's part of his game and he's good at it.

"I'm sure he'll be into his mate Corey Parker all day.

"The last time we played those two almost came to fisticuffs."

Hodges said Brisbane couldn't afford to be cocky about their strong start to the season.

"We can't get full of ourselves and they'll give us a good indication as to where we really are," he said."

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