Patrick Carrigan's likely absence from Thursday's NRL clash with Sydney Roosters isn't fazing the representative forward's Brisbane teammates.
Carrigan has been referred straight to the NRL's judiciary for a hip-drop tackle on Jackson Hastings in last weekend's loss to lowly Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium.
Hastings has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a fractured ankle when Carrigan fell onto his leg in a three-man tackle.
Under the NRL judiciary process, Carrigan's contact is considered worse than a grade-three, meaning he can expect a ban of at least three matches with an early guilty plea.
Fellow front-rower Tom Flegler says a "next man up" mentality within the club will be the key to filling the gap in Carrigan's absence, however long any ban is.
"To get to where we are at this point in the season and going forward, it's not just the 18 that get named to play every weekend ... you need all 36 players in the squad," Flegler said.
Flegler himself spent time on the sidelines earlier this season after being charged with a hip-drop during an infamous game against the Warriors where he was placed on report four times.
The 22-year-old said that game prompted him to work on his tackling technique.
"For me, it was when I got tired. I just happened to lose my legs a bit," Flegler said.
"Everyone's got a different tackle technique so it's obviously different for everyone but Patty's was a hard one.
"It definitely wasn't deliberate and that's the first one playing in four years of first grade."
Brisbane's shock loss to the Tigers has tightened the top four race while the Roosters are clinging onto eighth spot in an equally tense chase to make finals.
With ex-Bronco Matt Lodge and fiery Jared Waerea-Hargreaves leading the hosts' pack, Flegler is bracing himself for a huge battle against the Roosters on Thursday night.
"He's the leader of that pack and that's the way he plays. He's been a very good performer in the game for many years now," Flegler said of Waerea-Hargreaves.
"We're just going to go out there and try and match his intensity and the way he plays.
"You definitely look at players like him and take it as a challenge when you go against him."
The Broncos are also set to be boosted by the likely return of young winger Selwyn Cobbo, who trained on Tuesday and looks set to make his first appearance since a serious concussion early in last month's State of Origin decider.
