NRL: Two to debut for Broncos

Sam Thaiday will play in the front row against the Cowboys on Friday. Photo / Getty Images

Sam Thaiday has been moved to the front row for Brisbane who will give rookies Jack Reed and Dane Gagai their NRL debuts in Friday's first round clash with North Queensland at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

With star recruit Ben Hannant (calf) ruled out, former Melbourne Storm prop Scott Anderson will partner Thaiday up front.

Reed, a Brisbane Norths star in the Queensland Cup, has been given an opportunity in place of injured centre Justin Hodges while Gagai has forced his way into a wing spot after just half a trial game.

Another youngster, Gerard Beale, will play in the right centre spot left vacant by Israel Folau's AFL defection.

The losses of Hannant and Hodges, who sat out 2010 with an Achilles tendon injury, are major hits for Brisbane who had banked on having them for their derby opener against the Cowboys.

Hannant, who has returned from the Bulldogs, would have provided Brisbane's go forward up the middle while Hodges would have been an attacking strike weapon to take the focus off a very young and inexperienced backline out wide.

Anthony Griffin, who will make his NRL coaching debut in front of 45,000 fans, was not worried his bunch of young backs, Josh Hoffman (21), Gagai (20), Reed (22), Beale (20) and Jharal Yow Yeh (21) could suffer stage fright.

"Jack Reed is a pretty cool customer. He's handle everything we've thrown at him to this point and he's got Locky (captain Darren Lockyer) and Jharal around him and they've been together a while," said Griffin.

"Dane's a confident kid, I don't think stage fright will be a problem for either of them."

Griffin said the side had been picked on form out of the club's three pre-season trial match wins.

"Unfortunately a few guys like Benny Hannant and Hodgo just aren't ready so we have wait another week for them," said Griffin.

"The young guys are ready.

"Jack Reed has been one of our standards on the training paddock over the off-season and he's trialled really well and Dane Gagai, as you've all seen, has got his share of talent."

Brisbane: Josh Hoffman, Jharal Yow Yeh, Gerard Beale, Jack Reed, Dane Gagai, Darren Lockyer (c), Peter Wallace, Sam Thaiday, Andrew McCullough, Scott Anderson, Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Corey Parker. Interchange: Ben Hunt, Ben Te'o, Josh McGuire, Shane Tronc.

- AAP