NRL: Folau warning for Warriors

Brisbane are looking for ways to get giant centre Israel Folau more involved. Photo / Getty Images

BRISBANE - Brisbane will work on a strategy this week to inject destructive young centre Israel Folau into the action more against the Warriors after he almost pulled a win from the fire against Canberra on Monday night.

Folau scored two tries and almost had a third as Brisbane reeled in an 18-0 half time deficit before losing 22-14 to Canberra.

There's a feeling Folau is not being used enough and that he has to involve himself more, much the same way Jarryd Hayne does for Parramatta.

Folau, who has scored three tries since being moved to right centre to replace injured star Justin Hodges, is extremely difficult to control when he isolates a defender close to the line or gets some space.

Brisbane's playmakers need to go to him a lot more than they did against Canberra to take advantage of his size, speed and strength.

"It's something we need to have a look at," coach Ivan Henjak said today.

"We probably should have got him more ball and a bit more quality ball at that.

"We had opportunities to do that, but Locky (Darren Lockyer) went down with cramps in the last five minutes when we were attacking.

"He's very tough to handle one-on-one."

Henjak was fairly blunt about Brisbane's opening 40 minutes against a Raiders outfit keyed up to play their first home game of the season.

"There was a lot of rubbish in it," he said.

"We were just off for whatever reason, and not just the young kids either."

One positive for Henjak was that his young side showed they were up for a fight, responding to some half time home truths.

"The thing they have to realise is that if they played like that (in the second half) in the first half then we're probably not chasing 18 points," said Henjak.

"At the moment, even though we won our first game, we're not making the opposition beat us, we're beating ourselves."

While named in the Broncos side to play the Warriors at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday forward Corey Parker has yet to have scans on the knee he injured during the Raiders game.

If it is revealed to be a medial ligament tear he could miss between four to six weeks.

Impressive back-rower Matt Gillett, who has looked outstanding in his two games off the bench against the Cowboys and Raiders, looms as the obvious replacement for Parker, while young fullback Corey Norman is tipped to take over Parker's goal kicking duties.

Gillett's high defensive work rate, ball skills and ability to hit a hole, make him an ideal replacement, opening up a bench spot for Ashton Sims to add some size against the Warriors.

- AAP