The Broncos will begin a rebooted NRL season in better shape than they left it six weeks ago with captain Alex Glenn back to full fitness and Matt Lodge set for a stunning return.
Brisbane are one of six undefeated sides that will recommence the NRL competition in less than three weeks and veteran Darius Boyd said the COVID-19 enforced break had a silver lining to it.
"The six-week break in a strange way has been beneficial for our group," Boyd said.
"We’ve had Matt Lodge, Alex Glenn and a couple of other guys missing so the six-week break has given those guys an opportunity to get their bodies right.
"Matt Lodge has been great for the last three years he’s been here and a real leader in our group, especially with that young forward pack. He’s been training really well at the and it will be great to have him back."
Glenn trained strongly on Monday in the club’s first contact session since March in a 13-against-13 drill which showcased promising signs for Brisbane.
There was no sign of the hamstring injury that curtailed his season start. Lodge did not do contact but has been training on his own and is on track to return from a reaggravation of a partial ACL tear that he suffered in the pre-season.
Prop Payne Haas appeared as fit and strong as he was before the game went into recess while the athleticism of lock Pat Carrigan seemed to have gone up a notch.
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"We’ve got a good group of young guys here who want to work hard and want to be better and grow their careers further," Boyd said.
"Credit to them because I think they have all done the hard work over that break we did have. I know the performance staff are really pleased with the shape that the guys have come back in."
Boyd, who will retire at season's end, is refreshed both mentally and physically ahead of the season restart.
"I feel really good. When you take out all the contact in the game I think you can play until you are 40," he said.
"I obviously have to get back into contact and make the tackles week-to-week which is the hard part but in the six-week break I did a lot of training by myself.
"It was good to do things that I felt were beneficial for me."
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The Broncos had an outstanding start to their year with two wins over the Cowboys and Rabbitohs. Boyd said the base was there to build on for just as successful a beginning to the season reboot.
"It is about improving from where we left off and ticking all of the boxes. It was one of the hardest pre-seasons that I have been involved in and that set a good platform," he said.
"The first two weeks were a reflection of that but now it all starts again and we have to knuckle down the next couple of weeks so that we do pick up where we left off and keep improving towards October.
"The guys have been really good with their training away from the game the last six weeks which has put us in good stead.
"There is a lot of excitement and trust around the group and all the boys are excited and ready to go."