Brisbane skipper Darius Boyd says he has pulled up well from a fitness test but is still no guarantee of returning to NRL finals action next week.

Fullback Boyd will miss Friday night’s qualifying final with Sydney Roosters due to a hamstring complaint suffered in last round’s win over North Queensland.

Boyd and fellow hamstring casualty Tevita Pangai Junior underwent hill runs away from training on Tuesday in a sign the pair might return sooner rather than later.

Broncos great Gorden Tallis even boldly claimed at an NRL finals launch on Tuesday that Boyd would play against the Roosters despite not being named in Wayne Bennett’s 21-strong squad for the blockbuster.

Boyd said he was keeping his fingers he would only be sidelined for one game.

“It is feeling pretty good. I had a run yesterday and will do another tomorrow,” he said.

“At this stage I am doing pretty well but won’t know until I start running properly next week.”

Asked about Tallis’ brave call about playing the Roosters, Boyd laughed: “Definitely not.

“It’s disappointing. I would love to play, obviously.

“But I have a lot of confidence in the squad. We have had a few injuries this year in key positions and I think we have covered them well.

“It’s been a massive squad effort this year and we will need it again on Friday night.”

Boyd and Pangai Junior will join hooker Andrew McCullough (knee) and prop Korbin Sims (arm) on the sidelines.

Boyd said that, ideally, Brisbane would earn a week off with a win over the Roosters and his services would be not required next week.

Asked if he would be available next week, Boyd said: “I would like to think so but hammies are strange ones.

“They can feel good but still need another week.

“Ideally I would like to be back next week but if we win we have a week off so I won’t have to worry about it.”