Brisbane's captain-in-waiting Sam Thaiday disagrees with super coach Wayne Bennett's blunt assessment that the Broncos can't win the 2011 NRL premiership without inspirational skipper Darren Lockyer.

Lockyer's hopes of playing in Friday night's Preliminary final against Manly hinges on how he recovers from emergency surgery on Sunday morning to insert three titanium plates in his fractured left cheek.

But this year's Dally M backrower says if Brisbane have to take the field against Manly without him in the No.6 jumper, they can still win their way through to Sunday week's grand final.

"We've won plenty of times this year without Locky," said Thaiday who has vowed to rip into the Sea Eagles to repay his teammates for winning two finals games while he was suspended.

"At the moment we've got such a great belief in the team we could play anyone there (five eighth) and they'd do the job.

"Anyone who puts a Broncos jersey on rises above all adversity and does whatever they can."

Brisbane played down Lockyer's facial injury in the euphoria of their epic 13-12 win over St George Illawarra on Saturday night.

The match sealed in golden point by a groggy Lockyer field goal, which barley made it over the cross bar.

But a few hours after the game the extent of the Origin and Test five-eighth's injury became clearer and he went under the knife at Brisbane's Wesley Private hospital at 0830 (AEST) on Sunday morning.

"Locky's a tough man, don't worry, he'll be playing," said Thaiday before Lockyer was operated on.

Thaiday said it was nerve-wracking sitting through Saturday night's game, as the Dragons locked the scores up with a late try to former Bronco Darius Boyd and a pressure conversion by Jamie Soward.

"I've been nervous the past two weeks, just sitting there (in the stands)," he said in reference to his suspension for a lifting tackle in the final round.

"It's no fun watching football, I don't ever want to do it again, especially this time of the year.

"I've missed out on two great game. The boys have played really good football.

"I've got to go out there (against Manly) and repay them by playing out of my skin and hopefully we can win next week and win the week after and I'll pay them back 10-fold then."

Thaiday paid tribute to the team's young brigade who were outstanding under intense pressure once again.

"I came through a period there where I had a lot of great players around me and I was the young fellow in the team," he said.

"To see their effort was amazing.

"It's just another step closer to what we've been working for."

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