Payne Haas has had surgery to repair an ankle injury but Brisbane coach Michael Maguire still expects his star forward to be fit for the NRL's opening round.
The Test prop went under the knife on Friday after a training incident a week earlier.
While he is expected to be sidelined for about a month, the exact rehabilitation period is still to be determined.
The Broncos play Sydney to begin their season on March 6, in just under six weeks.
"He has had a little clean-out on his ankle," Maguire told News Corp.
"It won't be a long recovery. The doctors and physios felt it was the right thing to do with the timing.
"Payne looks after himself so well. We thought we'd get him in for surgery and get him right for round one."
The NSW State of Origin powerhouse battled a string of injuries in 2024, playing just 14 games for the Broncos before having foot surgery in September.
He had been in good condition under new club coach Maguire before the training mishap and on Thursday was named in the Broncos' leadership group.
