“Wrongers [Wright] and I spent a lot of time together in the rehab group, which is kind of a running joke between us, but it’s guys like that you look towards and his mentality is a massive credit to him.
“I learned a lot from him in those periods of time off, so it was good to have him there.”
Kiss confirmed fullback Jordan Petaia would rejoin the group after a week on the sidelines to recover from concussion.
His comeback, however, would be off the bench, with Jock Campbell retaining the No.15 jumper.
Three-game teenage prospect Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, who came up with the decisive try-assist and match-winning tackle at the death on Saturday night, will make his first start at five-eighth, with Tom Lynagh shifting to the pine.
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Lynagh was on the receiving end of brutal Chiefs’ treatment, including a late hit that left pundits scratching their heads as to how rival flanker Samipeni Finau avoided a yellow card.
“I think every player has the right to feel safe. If you pass a ball and two seconds later you’re getting hit, I think you should be protected,” Kiss said.
“We don’t want the TMO [television match official] coming in for every moment, no way . but if there’s something as late as that, that has to be looked at properly.
“I think if that’s going to be something that’s becoming a trend, we’ve got to stamp on it straight away and now.”
A limited preseason as Lynagh nursed a back concern had left the club no choice but to manage his workload.
“He had a bad shoulder, a little bit of a neck [issue] from it for sure, but he’s fine. I think he had 20 minutes [of game time] before I actually played him in the first game, so . he’s not fully fit in terms of his aerobic ability yet,” Kiss said.
“Harry’s got a great way about him, nothing flusters him, he just does the job in front of him and does it well.”
Queensland Reds squad v Melbourne Rebels
1. Peni Ravai*; 2. Matt Faessler; 3. Zane Nonggorr; 4. Seru Uru; 5. Ryan Smith; 6. Liam Wright (cc); 7. Fraser McReight; 8. Harry Wilson; 9. Tate McDermott (cc); 10. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips; 11. Mac Grealy; 12. Isaac Henry; 13. Josh Flook; 14. Suliasi Vunivalu; 15. Jock Campbell
Reserves: 16. Josh Nasser; 17. George Blake; 18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen; 19. Cormac Daly; 20. John Bryant; 21. Kalani Thomas; 22. Tom Lynagh; 23. Jordan Petaia
* Ravai comes into the starting side as Sef Fa’agase cops a four-game suspension for inadvertently making direct contact with the head of a Chiefs player.