Sam Thaiday's return to form has provided the tonic the Broncos forward pack needed according to fellow off-contract back-rower Alex Glenn.
Slammin' Sam's running battle with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves provided an entertaining side show in Brisbane's enthralling 22-18 golden point win over the Roosters last Friday with the pair squaring off on a number of occasions.
Thaiday's refusal to take a backward step against a formidable Roosters' engine room, coupled with a timely return to form, has caught the eye of teammate Glenn.
"Sammy's really stepped up the last couple of weeks," Glenn said.
"I thought Sam played one of the best games I've seen him play in a little while and we all fed off the way he was playing. He really stepped up to the big forward pack of the Roosters and showed no fear."
The ongoing set-to between Kiwi international Waerea-Hargreaves and Thaiday had shades of the infamous Gorden Tallis-Terry Hill face off from Game Two of the 1999 Origin Series.
Glenn, who scored a crucial try 10 minutes from full-time against the Roosters, said the 20th-minute stoush between the opposing starting props helped inspire the Broncos.
"To see Sammy in Jared's face and not standing down, and then to come out and play an aggressive game and put some of them on their back… That instilled a lot of confidence in myself and I know in the other players as well when you see him going out there as hard," he said.
"It's definitely something that was uplifting for our forward pack and carried a lot of momentum for us that's for sure."
Glenn has been in rock-solid form over the opening six rounds of the Telstra Premiership and made a season-high 159 metres against the Tricolours along with 26 tackles, one offload and one line break over the course of 76 minutes.
The 26-year-old's combination with Anthony Milford on Brisbane's left edge is slowly flourishing and despite being off contract at the end of the season, an extended deal could be just around the corner for Glenn who is determined to keep up his promising start to 2015.
"[My performances] are based on my future so I've got to make sure I'm turning up week in, week out and giving my best so if the coach wants to keep me around," he said.
"I've been here seven years now so I've got to make sure I'm playing my heart out for the team and the club, that's my first preference and I know that's my job."
Meanwhile, skipper Justin Hodges looks set to return from a hamstring injury against the Dragons on Friday night after completing training on Monday while Adam Blair (thigh) is also a chance to make a return after two weeks on the sideline with a corked thigh.
Hodges' return is a timely boost for the Broncos, who are shooting for six-straight victories for the first time since Round 8, 2012.
Long-term casualty Darius Boyd could be back from an achilles injury within six weeks after completing a series of sprint tests during training with a return looking likely against former side Newcastle in Round 11 – just two days before the Origin opener in Sydney.
