Brisbane centre Justin Hodges celebrated a return to his attacking best with a hat-trick of tries against Cronulla, before warning he could still take it up another gear.

Hodges made an amazing 15 tackle breaks in Brisbane's impressive 46-16 thumping of the Sharks who were helpless to stop a rampant Broncos in the opening 40 minutes.

A week before skipper Darren Lockyer draws level with Terry Lamb and Steve Menzies on the current all-time record of 349 games, his right-side wingman signalled he was back to his vintage best following a harrowing 18 months battling achilles and hamstring injuries.

Asked if he thought he had another level to go to, the 29 year-old said: "I think so".

"There's still another five weeks and for me I'm going to try and build every week and hopefully by finals time I'll be at my best."

Hodges has changed his eating and training habits and has worked hard on building up his core to strengthen his back and limit his hamstring problems.

He lost three kilograms this week to drop from 101 to 98kg.

"I'm almost back to my playing weight so I feel a lot fitter and a lot lighter on my feet," he said.

"I've been wanting to get out there and do stuff but the body wouldn't let me.

"The body is starting to work with me now and not against me and I'm starting to feel good."

Lockyer said at his best, Hodges was one of the game's most genuine game-breakers.

"He's a real strike weapon and when he is in that form in tight games he can be the difference," said Lockyer.

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