Broncos torn over McCullough's NRL return

Brisbane skipper Alex Glenn admits he can see the funny side of Andrew McCullough lining up against him for Newcastle.

But former Broncos captain Sam Thaiday says he is still upset the veteran rake was allowed to leave Red Hill last month.

There were no hard feelings at Brisbane when McCullough ended his 260-game Broncos stint in May and signed with Newcastle for the rest of 2020 after losing his starting spot.

But Glenn joked that he was thinking about "going after" McCullough when Brisbane tackle the Knights on Thursday evening - their first game against their revered former teammate.

"I sent him a message earlier in the week but I got nothing back, he's fully brushed me - I am off him," Glenn laughed.

"I will send another and hopefully I'll get a reply.

"If he doesn't I am going after him (on Thursday)."

Glenn may have laughed off the looming clash with McCullough but Thaiday said he would feel "torn" watching the ex-Queensland hooker run around in Newcastle colours.

"I would have loved to have seen him be a 300-game player at the Brisbane Broncos," Thaiday told Wide World of Sports.

"He's been a part of our system since he was 12 years of age.

"I'm torn a little bit here. I have a great friendship with him.

"It's going to be a bit weird to see him play against the Broncos."

McCullough requested a Broncos release after Jake Turpin usurped him this season as first-choice rake, slotting into the Knights front-row to replace the injured Jayden Brailey.

A week later Turpin suffered a leg fracture, forcing the Broncos to blood 20-year-old rookie Cory Paix at hooker over the past fortnight.

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold signed 33-year-old ex-New Zealand No.9 Issac Luke as welcome back-up this week, naming him on the bench for the Knights clash.

"I was a bit hurt and gutted by it (McCullough's release)," Thaiday said.

"We let experience go and now it almost looks as if we're chasing our tail a little bit in getting Issac Luke."