Queensland captain James Hopes will make his long-awaited Sheffield Shield return for the faltering Bulls in their crucial match against NSW at the SCG, starting Thursday.

Hopes has been plagued by a knee injury since his last Shield game in November and the Bulls sorely missed his all-round ability and leadership as they hit a post-Christmas slump.

After winning their first five matches outright to be runaway ladder leaders, Queensland haven’t gained a point since and Western Australia (32) have a two-point advantage with two rounds to play.

Tasmania (28) and Victoria (26) are also in the mix for a spot in the March 16-20 Shield final.

Hopes, who returned to one-day action this month, has replaced fast bowler Matthew Gale in one of two changes to the Bulls side thumped by Tasmania in Hobart last week.

Young opener Alex Kemp has also been included with the under-performing Ryan Broad dropped after struggling in his return from a broken thumb.

The tall Kemp, a rookie-contracted batsman for the past three seasons, is coming off an unbeaten 130 for the Queensland Academy of Sport against ACT in Canberra.

Off-spinning allrounder Jason Floros, 12th man in Hobart, is in line to play on the spin-friendly SCG pitch along with leggie Cameron Boyce.

QUEENSLAND: James Hopes (capt), Cameron Boyce, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Jason Floros, Chris Hartley, Alex Kemp, Chris Lynn, Steve Magoffin, Alister McDermott, Andrew Robinson, Wade Townsend (12th man to be named).