Caleb Timu admits he still hasn’t got his head around rugby union as the former Brisbane Broncos forward enters his third Super Rugby season with the Queensland Reds.

But the code-hopping fringe Wallabies back-rower is becoming more comfortable at Ballymore, where he says the Red Hill work ethic he experienced with the Broncos has crept in.

Reds coach Brad Thorn and assistant Peter Ryan both won premierships with the Broncos, while Timu will be joined by his former junior rugby league teammate Bryce Hegarty this season.

Timu debuted for the Wallabies last year but finished the season down the pecking order with coach Michael Cheika asking for improvements in his “game knowledge”.

The 25-year-old knows that will come in what is effectively just his second Super Rugby campaign after a knee injury confined him to the club circuit in his return to the code.

“I feel like I’m still grasping things, but I’m a lot better from when I first came across (in 2017),” he said ahead of the Reds’ trial against Melbourne in Ballarat on Friday.

“Game knowledge is something I’m working on and just playing more rugby (will help that) … really this is only my second full season.”

Timu said Ryan’s arrival at Ballymore had helped him shed the extra kilos and sharpen the team’s defence.

“I’ve really enjoyed what he’s brought,” he said of the rugby league-style approach.

“I think big thing has been the culture, coming from the Broncs, they have a real winning mentality, they’re physical and professional and that’s helping us.”

Frontline Wallabies Samu Kerevi, Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda and Sefa Naivalu won’t play against the Rebels, while Timu hopes former teammate Quade Cooper is fit to turn out for the hosts after missing last week’s trial with injury.

“We’ll see how we go; he’s got really good feet, don’t want to end up on his highlight reel,” Timu said of the prospect of laying a big hit on the former Reds favourite.