He may be 35 and coming back from serious injury but Petero Civoniceva looks primed for one of his best seasons in his comeback for Brisbane in 2012.

Brisbane’s prodigal son, back home after four seasons with Penrith, has turned heads with with his streamlined physique following months of rehab work to repair a torn chest muscle.

Those who’ve followed his career can’t recall the giant Fijian-born prop looking in better shape entering a season, suggesting the damaging prop will go around again for Queensland and Australia as well as leading Brisbane’s NRL pack into battle.

“Pet has trained extremely hard and he’s got a great attitude, He’s been professional enough to get himself into such great shape which is a credit to him,” said coach Anthony Griffin.

“He’s 35, or whatever he owns up to being and he’s played the most Origin and Tests of any front-rower in the game.

“If he gets through the game (on Saturday night) he’s going to be a vital player for us in round one.

Griffin said Civoniceva had done a “hell of a lot of work” during the pre-season.

“He’s not going into Saturday’s trial cold,” he said.

“He’s coming back from a major injury which is going to cop a lot of impact.

“Our medical staff don’t want him starting. They’d prefer he comes into the game after some of the heat and physicality has gone out of it but he’ll get some good minutes.”

The game’s most decorated forward will find out if his torn pectoral muscle has fully repaired itself against a powerful Melbourne Storm side at North Hobart Oval on Saturday night.

But Griffin said he couldn’t be more impressed with the work the 45 Test and 30 Origin veteran has put in to prepare himself for his comeback.

Griffin was reminded before the team left for Hobart on Friday that it was his one year anniversary after replacing Ivan Henjak as coach in 2011.

“It’s gone very quickly,” he said.

“It doesn’t seem like 12 months and nothing much has changed out on the football field.”

Nothing much that is except champion Darren Lockyer has retired, Civoniceva has returned home and Sam Thaiday will be only the seventh player to captain the club.’

Thaiday makes his first appearance as Broncos captain against Melbourne and Griffin said the club’s new skipper was settling into the leadership role very nicely.

Griffin said Saturday night’s trial would determine a few positions for the opening NRL game of the season against Parramatta, including who partners Civoniceva up front and who starts in Lockyer’s No.6 jumper, at leat for game one.