Brisbane coach Kevin Walters is banking on a post-State of Origin camp to bond his Broncos team for a big finish to their NRL season.
The Broncos have spent the week ahead of Thursday's clash with Parramatta at CommBank Stadium based in the northern NSW beachside town of Kingscliff after an Origin period where several of Walters' top players have been away from the club.
Brisbane will welcome back Queensland trio Kurt Capewell, Patrick Carrigan and Corey Oates against the Eels while NSW prop Payne Haas is also set to return from the shoulder issues which forced him to miss last week's Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium.
The Broncos won two and lost two during the Origin period but sit fifth on the competition ladder, poised to make finals for the first time since 2019 and right in the hunt for a top-four spot.
Walters believes the Kingscliff re-set will reap rewards over the last weeks of the home-and-away campaign.
"Origin had its impact on us but we're just all looking forward now," Walters said.
"Getting back as a group, we haven't done a lot of training, it's more just being around each other and reconnecting so that we have a strong finish to the season.
"That starts for us, tomorrow night against Parramatta."
While Capewell, Carrigan and Oates all return, the Broncos are still without young winger Selwyn Cobbo after his concussion in the opening minutes of Origin III.
Cobbo has resumed light training but is still being closely watched by medical staff, with Walters warning he won't be risked for next week's game against Wests Tigers unless he gets the all clear to play.
Jake Turpin will start at hooker for the Broncos with Billy Walters (hip) out, with Cory Paix taking the No.14 jersey having recovered from a head knock of his own.
Parramatta, who sit on 24 points like the Broncos and are hoping for a top-four push of their own in the closing weeks of the season, go into the game with a recent edge over Brisbane.
The Eels have won six of the past seven matches between the clubs including a 58-0 hiding in Brisbane's most recent finals appearance three years ago.
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has named Ryan Matterson following his recovery from a rib injury with Marata Niukore dropping to the bench and Ky Rodwell moving to 18th man.
The Eels have themselves been in camp in Wyong on NSW's Central Coast ahead of Thursday's game, as they seek a lift of their own for the back end of the campaign.
